359 Lord's Prayer Series (1) Our Father in Heaven#
(JP Text Group - Shalom Compilation)
Dear family, peace in the Lord, and welcome to your arrival. Today we will share a series of prayer texts, commonly referred to as the Lord's Prayer series, over the next few weeks, sharing the content of the Lord's Prayer regarding prayer.
The title of the sharing is: Our Father in Heaven
Matthew 6:9-13:
9 Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored as holy. 10 May your kingdom come; may 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 do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! Thank you for gathering us here to share the truth together. Today we understand what prayer is and recognize our Heavenly Father. During this time, let every heart look up to you, let our hearts be willing to be renewed by your words, and learn to entrust everything to you in our lives, for you are our provider and our helper. Thank you and praise you, bless all the brothers and sisters who come to seek you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Sharing the first lecture of the Lord's Prayer series: Our Father in Heaven
Prayer is the privilege of God's children. It is to express our hearts or feelings to our Heavenly Father. No matter what happens, as children of God, we can pray at any time and in any place, for our God is omnipresent; He can always hear your prayers and respond to you.
Starting this week, we will share about prayer. When we are powerless in some situations, we can let God act through prayer. Let prayer not be a ritual but a habit in our lives, making it an indispensable part of our daily existence.
Many people pray without knowing to whom they are praying. Some say they pray to Jesus, some say they pray to the Holy Spirit, and others say they pray to the Heavenly Father. Many also refer to the God above as "Heavenly Father" or "Abba Father," but few think about what "Abba Father" truly represents. Does it really have meaning, or is it just a habitual title?
Our Father in Heaven, this title is a new revelation given to us by the Son, Jesus. Before Jesus, almost no one referred to God as the Heavenly Father in this way. We are able to call God our Father because we have been saved by Jesus and have become children of God. Therefore, calling God our Father is a great grace given to us by God, and it is our privilege.
Let’s first look at a passage from Galatians 4:3-6:
3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
This passage mentions that before believing in Jesus, we were all under the basic principles of the world. One day, our hearts were moved by the Holy Spirit, and we were willing to accept Jesus as our Savior, acknowledging that Jesus sacrificed for our sins on the cross and that He is our Lord. When we believe this way, God redeems us from the basic principles of the world and from under the law.
After accepting Jesus as our Savior, God gives us an identity: the Son of God. All who accept Jesus become the sons of the Heavenly Father, and we must believe and be assured that no matter how we behave, our identity will not change. Just like your son, no matter how mischievous he is or how many problems he causes, he remains your son.
Verse 6 says, Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.
What does the Spirit of the Son refer to? The Holy Spirit. God gives a gift to those who believe in Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to enter their hearts to guide their lives. In the past, they were under the basic principles of the world, imitating and learning from others, often failing and not knowing how to walk the path of life. Moreover, the path of life is a one-way street; you cannot say, "I took the wrong path today, let me be born again and start over in elementary school." Time and life do not give us that opportunity.
Therefore, we need a guide for life. Who is this guide? When you accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit becomes your guide. God sends the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, and your hearts and the Holy Spirit indicate one thing: you are the Son of God, and you have the right to call out "Abba Father." Once this relationship is established, it will never be withdrawn.
Why do we pray?
If prayer becomes a burden for you, it indicates that your understanding of prayer has some discrepancies. Jesus personally teaches us how to pray here. Prayer actually reflects our intimate relationship with God, just like you would regularly visit your parents or your children. It is an intimate relationship, not a burden. So, who are we praying to? Many people living in religion also have prayer rituals; although the forms may differ, they certainly have an object of worship. We pray to our Heavenly Father, sometimes abbreviated as "Father" or "Abba Father."
The first point of sharing: Prayer is a reflection of an intimate relationship.
“Our Father in Heaven” is the key to the Lord's Prayer. If you do not pray from the position of a child of God, it is very likely to become a religious ritual. If you do not even know why you are praying, prayer becomes a burden, and in that case, prayer is almost ineffective.
Let’s look at the prayers of two people in the Bible, Luke 18:9-14:
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God, for all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Jesus tells us about two men praying, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. But how does God judge the Pharisee's prayer? The Pharisee stood and prayed, “to himself.”
Do you know how many people pray “to themselves”? Because they do not know that the object of prayer is our Heavenly Father, they do not know why they are praying. Prayer becomes a task for them because their pastor told them that if they do not pray every day, they are not Christians, and if they do not pray, God will not be pleased with them and will not bless them.
The Pharisee's prayer “to himself” is a religious ritual. He is showing off to God, saying: "I have come, I have prayed, today’s assignment is complete!"
God, I thank you. Although he says, "God, I thank you," what he truly wants to thank is not God, but himself. He is telling God, "I am not like others..." Have you noticed? His prayer is all about elevating himself and belittling others. This is not prayer and is not the kind of prayer that pleases God.
If someone comes to you and keeps saying, "I am not like so-and-so, I am not like so-and-so..." you would not want to talk to them anymore because they are not talking to you; they are just explaining how great they are. The Pharisee says, "I fast twice a week..."
Brothers and sisters, these things are not wrong; fasting is not wrong. But if you take these as the content of your prayer to show off to God, it becomes self-righteousness. In God's eyes, this is “to himself,” and the object of his prayer is actually himself, not our Heavenly Father. This is the prayer of a religious ritual.
In the past, many people's prayers were actually religious rituals. To fulfill that one-hour prayer, they had to insist on praying for an hour every day. After a while, they would look at their watch and see that only five minutes had passed, so they would pray a little longer. After a while, they would check again and see that only ten minutes had passed. Oh, why is time passing so slowly? Finally, they endure until one hour and say to God: "Lord, I prayed for one hour today." This is all prayer “to themselves.”
We do not tell God what we have done; rather, we engage in heartfelt communication with God. This is a reflection of an intimate relationship, just like when you go to your parents' home, sit down, and perhaps there is no strict process, but you communicate joyfully. You can share your joyful things with them and also tell them about your discomfort, and they comfort you, or they share their own matters with you. This is very pleasant communication, a reflection of an intimate relationship.
In this relationship, time can be forgotten. I do not want everyone to always ask: "How many hours do you pray a day?" What is the purpose of asking this? If that person prays more than you, do you feel less devout? If that person prays less than you, do you feel more devout? The key is not these; it is whether you know who you are praying to. This is a reflection of an intimate relationship. Amen.
The tax collector's prayer is very simple. He would not even dare to look up to heaven because he knows he is truly unworthy. He simply beats his breast, which represents his repentance, and says, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." His prayer does not have as many words as the Pharisee's and does not seek to show off himself. Jesus says: this tax collector went home justified rather than the other.
From a human perspective, it seems that the Pharisee's behavior is better, and his prayer content is more splendid and worthy of our learning. But in God's eyes, the tax collector's prayer is recognized and accepted by God because he is genuinely communicating with God. The Pharisee says, "God, I thank you." In reality, he is not speaking to God; he is speaking to himself. Therefore, Jesus says, "For everyone who exalts themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
It does not mean that when we pray before God, we should show how high we are. Prayer is about telling God our true situation: "Heavenly Father, I have this problem, and I am really sad." Just say it directly, Amen. The closer your relationship with God, the more you understand His love, and your prayers become more sincere. Many sincere prayers have transcended rituals and processes; this is what pleases God, Amen.
When we realize that we truly cannot solve a problem, we say: "Lord, please help me; I really cannot." In God's eyes, you are humble, and He will solve your problems and lift you up. Do you know that sinners do not have the right to call out "Heavenly Father"? Therefore, one must first believe in Jesus and what Jesus did for you on the cross.
The blood of Jesus cleanses you from all sin, rescues you from darkness, and transfers you into the kingdom of His beloved Son. In Christ, we are redeemed, and our sins are forgiven. After these things, you can pray to the Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, coming before the Father through the Lord Jesus, Amen.
You can call out "Abba Father" because Jesus has completed all the redemptive work on the cross, resolving your sin issue, allowing you to say "Lord," "Abba Father," "Heavenly Father" before the Father, thus qualifying you to call Him, and He can hear your prayers.
Under the Old Testament law of Moses, people did not have the right to come directly before God. The Holy of Holies, where the mercy seat is located, represents the closest place to God. But do you know? The high priest only had one opportunity each year to enter the Holy of Holies and come before the mercy seat. He had to go through prophets, priests, and kings as intermediaries to convey God's will, and the people had to pray through these individuals to express their intentions to God.
But Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law. He has fulfilled the law, giving us a brand new understanding of God. The God you believe in now is not the one under the Old Testament law but a completely new being. Through Jesus, this covenant has changed. Jesus teaches His disciples again, saying: when you come to pray before God, do not do it in the old way; change to a new way. You can call Him "Heavenly Father," Amen.
Under the Old Testament, many people thought of our God as a very fearful God, a God that makes people tremble. At this moment, Jesus shows us that the Heavenly Father mentioned is a loving father. Why is God a loving Father to you today? Actually, the Old Testament and the New Testament are the same God; it is just that Jesus has removed God's anger and resolved all your sin issues, allowing the Heavenly Father to pour out love, mercy, and grace upon you without any hindrance.
Before the Lord Jesus Christ, no one dared to directly call God "Father." They only dared to liken God's love to a fatherly love. Therefore, no one in the Old Testament called God "Father." The most common titles used were "Jehovah" and "Lord of Heaven."
Let’s look at a passage from Luke 2:49-50:
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
When Jesus was twelve years old, His parents took Him to the temple to worship God and offer sacrifices. After the worship was over, His parents and relatives left for home but could not find Him. Later, they returned to the temple and found twelve-year-old Jesus talking with the rabbis, asking them many questions. His parents were very distressed and said, "Why did you leave us?" Jesus' response at this time already reflected a different perspective: "Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?"
Here, Jesus used the term "my Father," a term that was previously not used by others and was not dared to be used. Therefore, verse 50 states that they did not understand what He was saying. Because no one had ever used this term, saying, "Shouldn’t I be in my Father’s house?"
In Mary's view, isn't your father Joseph? We are your parents; why are you talking about being in your Father’s house? So they did not understand. Perhaps today there are people who call out "Heavenly Father" but do not understand its meaning. The Jews back then were like this.
If Jesus had not revealed more information about the Heavenly Father to us, our understanding of God would always be vague. The Jews theoretically knew that God was their Father, but in life, they had not established an intimate relationship with this God. They were not close to this Heavenly Father; it seemed to be merely a ceremonial title. Some may ask: "What biblical basis do you have for saying this?" Let me share some biblical basis on this matter.
John 8:38-41:
38 “I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” 39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
Through this passage, we see a dialogue between Jesus and the Jews of that time. The Jews did not understand why Jesus referred to the God above as Father. Jesus explained: "What I am telling you is not something I made up; it is what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and I am telling you."
The Jews, including those serving in the temple, were acting in ways that were completely contrary to what Jesus taught. Therefore, Jesus said: "You are doing what you have heard from your father." We often tell you that how you live is related to the teachings you have received.
When a person is arrogant and self-important, it is the fruit of the teachings they have received. The scribes and Pharisees at that time looked down on others and despised Jesus because their teachings led them to self-righteousness.
Jesus said to them: "Your father is not Abraham." Although you say your father is Abraham, if you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did. What does this mean? Abraham actually worshipped Jesus and respected Jesus, but the scribes and Pharisees at that time did not do this and did not care for the flock; they had no God in their hearts.
Jesus continued: "I am telling you the truth that I have heard from God, and now you want to kill me; this is not what Abraham did." Jesus preached the truth, which made the Pharisees and scribes very angry. Why? Because Jesus spoke the truth, while these people were not hearing the truth and were not doing the truth; they had murderous thoughts in their hearts, right?
As long as you believe that what you hear is the truth and aligns with the Bible, know that when the truth is preached, some people will definitely attack it. The forces behind this are actually the devil. After Jesus spoke all this to those people, they immediately began to condemn Jesus, saying, "We are not illegitimate children; we have only one Father, God."
What does this mean? "Jesus, you cannot even clarify who your father is, and you are here teaching us about the Heavenly Father? Are you joking? We know who our father is, and we know that the Father we believe in is God." Do you know how malicious these people were? Jesus was out preaching, and they were slandering Him, saying He was an illegitimate child, unable to clarify who His father was. This is very cruel, proving that those people were filled with condemnation, which is completely different from the truth Jesus taught.
Next, let’s look at John 8:42-44:
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Jesus directly pointed out the real problem of these serving individuals and those opposing the truth. Jesus said to them: "If you say God is your Father, you will love me, for I have come from God and am here. Brothers and sisters, if the truth you speak comes from the Bible and aligns with the Bible, do not worry about those who cannot accept these truths. Do not argue with them; just know that what you hold is the truth that comes from God, and that is enough.
At that time, when Jesus preached, these people could not take it in. Why could they not understand Jesus' words? It was simply because they were unwilling to listen; they did not want to hear what Jesus was saying. They listened to Jesus not to learn but to find fault with Him. If you listen to the sermon with such a heart, how could you possibly gain anything?
You should also believe that if what you preach is the truth, those who seek will definitely find it. When people come to listen with a longing heart, they will surely receive. We just need to preach the truth, Amen. As for those who are unwilling to listen, let them be, because right now, we cannot clearly distinguish between the wheat and the tares.
Jesus said to these people: "You belong to your father, the devil." This statement reveals their true problem. These people have desires in their hearts and want to kill Jesus, not holding to the truth because their father has issues. They accept their father's teachings, have no truth in their hearts, and therefore lie and do not hold to the truth; these are very normal.
Some may ask, "If I lied today and had desires in my heart, does that mean my father is the devil?" It is different, brothers and sisters. If a person lies and still feels very peaceful in their heart, or if they hate others and still feel very peaceful without any guilt, that proves their father is the devil. They think about scheming against others, thinking about oppressing others, attacking others, and still feel very peaceful and proud; that proves their father is the devil, and their hearts are filled with desires.
A person who truly has the Holy Spirit will feel uncomfortable after doing these things; this can help discern whether they are saved. We know in our hearts; do not judge whether others are saved, nor determine others' lives based on external behaviors, as this can easily lead to errors. These Jews were truly pitiful; they relied on the law, adhered to the rules, and were unwilling to believe that the Lord Jesus opened a new and living way for them. What they did not know was that through Jesus, they could be closer to God. They could not approach God because their hearts were unwilling.
Brothers and sisters, our prayers should not become a religious ritual; they reflect your intimate relationship with God. Do not let anyone judge your closeness to God, saying that if you pray too little, you are not a Christian... Do not accept such condemnation, Amen. Regardless of the length of time, our relationship with God is: we are sons, and He is our Father who loves us. Amen.
The second point of sharing: The object of prayer is more important than the content of prayer.
Do not compare the content of your prayers with others. Just like the scripture we just read, it is clear that the Pharisee's prayer had a lot of content; he could list everything he had done in the past. But what could the tax collector say? He could not possibly recount all his past mistakes; he felt embarrassed to say that, so he could only say, "Lord, you know what I have done; have mercy on me, a sinner!" Therefore, do not worry about the length of your prayers; these are natural results of your closeness to God.
When you are with like-minded friends, you might talk for a long time, and a day or night could pass without you realizing it, and you do not feel tired. But with those you do not resonate with, after saying one sentence, you do not want to say a second. This reflects the outcome of the relationship; do you understand what I mean?
Do not let the content or length of your prayers limit you. Your prayer time with God may often be longer, which is a good thing; it reflects your relationship with God. If you currently only say one or two sentences in prayer, that is also fine. Do not feel proud or inferior because of this; it does not matter.
As we grow in our understanding of the Heavenly Father, the content of our prayers will also change. A child who has just been born may not even know their parents' names, nor can they call out "Daddy" or "Mommy." But this does not limit the love of the father and mother for them; their love does not decrease at all! One day, as the child grows a little, they can call out "Daddy" and "Mommy." Even if they cannot say anything else, when they can say these words, their parents are very happy, Amen. As we continue to understand our Heavenly Father, our prayers will change, just like a baby starts from saying a few words to later being able to say a few sentences and eventually many things.
Sometimes your prayer content may be long, and sometimes it may be short. What matters is not the content but that you know who you are talking to. Our prayers are definitely not just talking to the air; they are conversations with our Heavenly Father, the Father who loves us.
Let’s look at Matthew 6:5-8:
5 “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 others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
This is the prayer that the Lord Jesus teaches us. This scripture tells us that the object of prayer is more important than the content and method of prayer. Pagans and hypocrites also pray, but their methods of prayer are not worth advocating. The hypocritical scribes and Pharisees love to pray in the synagogues. Why do they pray in the synagogues? In the synagogues, they raise their hands, wear priestly robes, or wear sacrificial garments so that everyone can see their prayers, or they stand at the street corners because there are many people there, deliberately wanting others to see them praying.
Many people in the church have also formed a wrong concept: "So-and-so prays every day in church..." It is good that they pray, but there is no need for us to publicize it or say, "I pray for more than ten hours every day." Whenever they meet someone, they mention that they pray for more than ten hours a day. These are not things we need to talk about. Regarding prayers that are deliberately meant to be seen by others, Jesus says they have already received their reward; God does not listen to the content of their prayers. Why? Because they do not care about the content; they only care about whether people see them.
Jesus tells us that when we pray, we should go into our room and close the door. Why do we do this? It is so that no one sees or hears your prayers, indicating that you are praying to the Heavenly Father. You pray to your Father who sees what is done in secret, meaning He listens to the voice inside you. The Holy Spirit will guide you and help you. Therefore, our prayers should be an intimate exchange between us and our Heavenly Father.
Of course, during gatherings, we will intercede, and it is necessary for others to hear. But what is being said here is that when each person prays to the Heavenly Father according to their situation, it is a private and intimate relationship that does not need to be known by others; there is no need to deliberately make it known. However, do not go to the extreme and say that from now on, my prayers must never be seen by others; if anyone sees them, does that make the prayer invalid? No, what was mentioned earlier refers to prayers that are deliberately meant to be seen, such as when someone enters and immediately says, "Ah! Heavenly Father!" Do not do that.
What are the prayers of pagans like? They use many repetitive words, saying similar things over and over, as if God cannot hear them. Jesus says you should not imitate them; just pray to your Heavenly Father. What you need, your Father already knows before you ask.
Some may ask, "If the Heavenly Father knows, why do we still need to pray?" Do not make excuses for your laziness. He knows, but you praying is a different matter, okay? Just like your parents love you and are willing to give you everything, they also hope you come to talk to them, to express your thoughts and requests. This is a reflection of an intimate relationship.
You know you are communicating with your Father; He is joyful, and you are joyful too, and you are comforted. That is enough. You cannot say, "He knows everything; just provide for me directly; I do not want to pray." This indicates that your relationship is distant; you are merely using Him. Do you understand what I mean?
Many people pay great attention to whether the content of their prayers is beautiful and whether the wording is appropriate, yet they overlook the essence of prayer. We are speaking with our Father, who loves us and knows everything about us. When you know He loves you this way, your words will naturally change.
The term “Abba” comes from Aramaic and expresses the affectionate love between a son and a father. When a child calls out to their father, it is not just calling out; it expresses their love, indicating in their heart that you are my most beloved and precious dad.
Brothers and sisters, when we pray to the Heavenly Father, we are actually acknowledging that He is our most beloved Father. Prayer is not just about asking for things; many times, it is just about wanting to talk to Him. Where is this Father in Heaven? In Heaven, which indicates that He is different from earthly fathers. Earthly fathers can get angry, may not be able to solve problems, and may not have time to listen to you. But the Heavenly Father is different; Jesus emphasizes that He is the “Heavenly Father” to make us realize that this Father is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. This means He is not limited by time and space; you can pray to Him anytime and anywhere, and He is willing to give you the best, Amen.
For example, many people around the world are currently in panic due to the impact of the virus. What should we do? We pray for them, asking God to help them and grant them peace. This is the best way. Your prayers can transcend time and space, and God will raise up local people to comfort others. Do not think that your prayers are just talking to the air and have no meaning. No, you are communicating with the Heavenly Father, and this is very meaningful, Amen. Do not neglect prayer, dear family. Many people say that since everything was accomplished by Jesus on the cross, we do not need to do anything or pray anymore. This is a very selfish statement.
The world itself is filled with selfishness; people feel that once they have what they need, there is no need to pray to the Heavenly Father. Many people in society have dark and selfish hearts, and from individuals to families to society, many people have this problem of selfishness, thinking everything is mine. But here, Jesus teaches us: We are in Heaven's Father!
This Father is not just yours; He is ours. Amen! Ours. Do you know? When you know that this Father can supply you, He can also supply others, you will not be proud. When you know that this Father can heal you, He can also heal others, you will not be proud. It is not your work or your ability. When you also know that this Father can raise you up, He can also raise others up, you will not look down on others. In this way, we have no capital for pride, knowing that God uses us because He loves us, not because we are good enough, but because He is good enough; it is not because we are qualified, but because He is willing to give us grace.
Thus, we can sincerely pray for others from our hearts and truly feel that others are better than us, Amen. When you call the Heavenly Father "Heavenly Father," what does it mean? It means you are His child. This is a relationship of love; you have a direct relationship with the God who created the universe and all things, a relationship of love! It is not a religious ritual; it is not that you must complete something every day for Him to hear your prayers and bless you. No, it is a relationship of love. Whether you pray or ask or express, it is a reflection of love. Amen. Therefore, it does not matter about the content; it only matters about the object.
Your conversation partner is the Heavenly Father, which is more effective than talking to anyone else. Our Heavenly Father will directly grant you comfort, strength, and provision because He is your loving Father, Amen. What is more important is who the object of your prayer is. No matter what you become, remember that this loving Father will always listen to your prayers; He is always concerned about you. Once this relationship is established, it is like this: a love that will never leave or forsake you, Amen. People in the world are like this; how much more so is our Heavenly Father?
Have you heard the story of David and Absalom in the Bible? Absalom was David's son, but he betrayed David and sought to usurp David's throne. Later, when Absalom died, David was very pained to hear the news. His general, Joab, said: "King, what is going on with you? We killed the traitor Absalom, yet you mourn for your son like this. Were we right or wrong in what we did?" Joab was not wrong, but he did not realize that although Absalom betrayed David, he was still David's son. This is a father's heart; no matter how rebellious the son is, when the son dies, the father's heart is extremely pained.
Why do I mention this? It is to make you realize that you are the child of the Heavenly Father. The moment you accept Jesus as your Savior, your relationship with the Heavenly Father is officially established through Jesus, and this relationship lasts forever. Do not worry about whether your prayer wording will anger God; when you know you are His child and He is your Father, your words will naturally be correct. As long as your heart is not filled with pride and self-righteousness, you will not show great disrespect to God, and this situation will not occur.
The more you understand how much this Father loves you and how great His power is, the more humble you will become, knowing that this Father loves you forever, regardless of what you have or do not have, whether you succeed or fail, no matter where you are, He watches over you and provides for you. Once you understand this relationship, your prayers will change, and countless words will come forth. Therefore, prayer is not something taught; there is no template to seek. It is just to tell you that He is your Father, our Father in Heaven, your Father, your loving Father, and you are His child. Just think about how a son communicates with a father.
Do not use earthly fathers as a comparison. If you use earthly fathers, they are very loving and will supply you without reservation. Such a father can show a little bit of what our Heavenly Father is like. You should think that this Father has the heart of a shepherd for the sheep, willing to lay down His life for the sheep. We teach about our Father in Heaven to encourage you to pray to Him and express everything to Him, whether it is pressure, problems, happy things, or unhappy things.
He wants you to develop a habit of remembering that He is always your loving Heavenly Father, standing with you no matter what happens. Your prayer to Him is not an obligation or a ritual but a reflection of an intimate relationship. He is willing to communicate with you, willing to provide for you, and more willing to listen to you express everything to Him. In everything, pray to Him; He enjoys the process of communicating with you.
Brothers and sisters, I hope that through the Lord's Prayer series, we can have a deeper understanding of prayer. Your prayer is definitely not a process; just like when you come before your father, saying "Daddy" can lead to intimate communication, Amen. If you do not know how to pray, it is better to think about how much this Father loves you, think about how He gives you life, gives you everything you have now, solves your problems, rescues you from evil, and is willing to listen to you in all matters. In this regard, many people in the world cannot do it, including earthly fathers, who also find it difficult to do this.
Jesus teaches us this so that we always have hope. At any time, this Heavenly Father is listening to your prayers, and He is particularly willing to communicate with you. Whether you say one sentence or ten sentences to Him, as long as you express yourself to Him, He is willing to listen. He is willing to fulfill your prayers after you pray, doubling your joy, Amen.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! Thank you for giving us Jesus. Through Jesus, we see more of you. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we see your love for us. You are our Heavenly Father, and you love everyone in the world. We pray to you, not because we are good enough, but because you are so good. You love us and are willing to listen to our prayers, to hear our expressions to you. Our relationship is solid; you will always love me and never forsake me, no matter what I do.
No matter how great my achievements are on this earth, you still provide for us; no matter how much I fail, you still provide for us. Heavenly Father, you are an unchanging Lord and a loving Father. Thank you for loving me this way. There is no one else who loves me like this, a love that will never leave or forsake.
Heavenly Father, we thank you, and we also bless all the brothers and sisters, giving them a correct understanding of prayer, so that prayer will no longer be a burden, nor a ritual, but a reflection of an intimate relationship. We are no longer limited by time, place, or space, and can pray in many ways at any time.
Thank you for giving us this privilege, allowing us to grow closer to you, to know you more, and after prayer, to share the joy in our hearts with you.
Heavenly Father, we also pray for the global pandemic that is currently breaking out. Please grant peace to them, grant them strength, and let them see your wonders in this process, seeing your mighty hand protecting everyone. You love us and do not wish for the lives of people in the world to end; you hope that we rely on you in any environment. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to intercede for others.
Let us demonstrate love for one another, one of which is to intercede for others. When we pray, you will work. Lord, raise up more people to become strong intercessors, to pray for more people, and to manifest your glory. Thank you and praise you; all glory belongs to you. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.