Mat 6:9 After this manner
therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be
thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our
daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our
debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
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The model prayer is also a procedure for maturing in Christ.
It is an example in disciple development. We will see this as we
study the model prayer together. The first discipline a disciple
needs to learn is to pray. The first and most Important aspect of
prayer is praise and worship. The key to quality worship is to
understand that God is our father.
OUR FATHER
The single most important concept in all the word of God is
this.
The father loves you; He Really, Really Loves You!
Eph 3:19 And to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all
the fulness of God.
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Who is a real father? (God is!) (Apply the following thoughts
to God as your Father.)
Someone who looks forward to seeing his child, who eagerly
& warmly embraces his child, accepts his child, forgives his
child, encourages his child, builds up his child, blesses his
child and believes in his child; all because he loves his
child.
One who is committed to his child’s good welfare, does
good, strengthens, looks after, cares for, provides for and
protects his child.
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He is a counselor, guide, teacher, corrector and builder and
builder of his child’s confidence.
One who does what is right, keeps his word and is dependable,
faithful and true.
One who is with his child in the time of trouble and is always
there for his child.
Someone who fixes things, is strong, is a source of life,
gives peace and knows his child better than the child knows
himself.
He is loving, compassionate, kind and gentle.
Someone a child looks forward to seeing and being with,
someone a child brags about and someone held in high esteem in
their child’s eyes.
What is God the father like?
Jesus illustrates it like this: Luke
15:11-24 (note the action of the father in verses 20 -
24)
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Luk 15:11 And he said, A certain
man had two sons:
Luk 15:12 And the younger of
them said to [his] father, Father, give me the portion of goods
that falleth [to me]. And he divided unto them [his]
living.
Luk 15:13 And not many days
after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey
into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous
living.
Luk 15:14 And when he had spent
all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be
in want.
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Luk 15:15 And he went and joined
himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his
fields to feed swine.
Luk 15:16 And he would fain have
filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no
man gave unto him.
Luk 15:17 And when he came to
himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have
bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
Luk 15:18 I will arise and go to
my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and before thee,
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Luk 15:19 And am no more worthy
to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired
servants.
Luk 15:20 And he arose, and came
to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father
saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and
kissed him.
Luk 15:21 And the son said unto
him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and
am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Luk 15:22 But the father said to
his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put [it] on him; and
put a ring on his hand, and shoes on [his] feet:
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Luk 15:23 And bring hither the
fatted calf, and kill [it]; and let us eat, and be merry:
Luk 15:24 For this my son was
dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they
began to be merry.
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When you see Jesus you see the Father. John
14:7-9
John 14:7 If ye had known me, ye
should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know
him, and have seen him.
John 14:8 Philip saith unto him,
Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him,
Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known
me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how
sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father
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His love is like a doting grandfather over his
grandchildren.
All this world and we were created for his pleasure. And it is
the Father’s pleasure to pour out his Love on His
children.
He is the source of the fruits of the spirit; therefor, He is
like them because he is Spirit. (Gal 5:22-23)
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law.
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Try inserting “My father” for God and/or LORD in
the Old Testament. Try this in Genesis 1:1, 2:4 and psalm
23:1-6
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Gen 1:1 In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 2:4 These [are] the
generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were
created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the
heavens,
Psa 23:1 [[A Psalm of David.]]
The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still
waters.
Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's
sake.
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me.
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table
before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head
with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell
in the house of the LORD for ever.
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Note these attributes of God the Father from Exodus
34:6-7 Merciful, Gracious, Longsuffering, Abounding in
goodness and Truth, Forgiving
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Exd 34:6 And the LORD passed by
before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and
gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and
truth,
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The father gives the blessing! (There are five elements
involved in giving a Biblical blessing.)
1) Meaningful touch - Genesis 2:7; Jeremiah 18:6; John
10:27-30; Mark 10:13-16. In the quiet moments with God and
any other special time in his presence
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Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man
[of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Jer 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do
with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is]
in the potter's hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of
Israel.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and
I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck
them out of my hand.
John 10:29 My Father, which gave [them]
me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out
of my Father's hand.
John 10:30 I and [my] Father are
one.
Mar 10:13 And they brought young
children to him, that he should touch them: and [his] disciples
rebuked those that brought [them].
Mar 10:14 But when Jesus saw
[it], he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the
little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such
is the kingdom of God.
Mar 10:15 Verily I say unto you,
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child,
he shall not enter therein.
Mar 10:16 And he took them up in
his arms, put [his] hands upon them, and blessed them.
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2) Positive, uplifting spoken message -
Ephesians 1:3,6,18; John 15:16; 17:23. Through the word,
in the quiet moments with God and any other special with
him.
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Eph 1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of
his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints,
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen
me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go
and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that
whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it
you.
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3) Attach “high value” to the one
being blessed. - Psalm 139:17-18:Deuteronomy 7:6;
1Peter 2:9. The price God was willing to pay for us. The
special ways God has spoken into my life. The Father always wants
to spend time with us.
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Psa 139:17 How precious also are
thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of
them!
Psa 139:18 [If] I should count
them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am
still with thee.
Deu 7:6 For thou [art] an
holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen
thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that
[are] upon the face of the earth.
1Pe 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath
called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
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4) Picture a special future for the one being
blessed - Psalm 139:13-16; Ephesians 1:11-12;
Colossians 1:12; Revelations 21:1-4, Destiny/ Ministry God
has planed for us.
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Psalms 139:13 For thou hast possessed
my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
Psalms 139:14 I will praise thee; for I
am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works;
and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
Psalms 139:15 My substance was not hid
from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in
the lowest parts of the earth.
Psalms 139:16 Thine eyes did see my
substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members]
were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet
there was] none of them.
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Eph 1:11 In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his
own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to
the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the
Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light:
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven
and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were
passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy
city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared
as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great
voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is]
with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his
people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their
God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.
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5. An active commitment to fulfilling the
blessing. - Matthew 11:28; Psalm 46:1 See this in
the provision of the Bible, Prayer, Church, the Holy Spirit,
personal revelation, the call of God and his enabling us to
fulfill the call.
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Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye]
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.
Psalms 46:1 [[To the chief Musician for
the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.]] God [is] our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble.
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SUMMATION STATEMENT: Jesus wants us to
be effective in our prayer life. He knows we need help. He gave
us a model to help us. It begins with the greatest concept of all
- God is our Father!
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