Prayer

Knowing Jesus PART III
Rev. David Plant
23 March 2014

Luke 11:1-13
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.  When he finished, on of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

2He said to them, "When you pray, say:
"'Father, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3Give us each day our daily bread.
4Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.'"

5Then Jesus said to them, Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.'  7And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me.  The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed.  I can't get up and give you anything.'  8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will opened to you.  10For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11"Which of your fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

LORD's PRAYER
--back to basics
--Prayer will be heard; hearts and minds will be changed
--God gives us more than we ask

PRINCIPLE OF PRAYER
--Lord's Prayer recognizes that God's already blessed us.
--Motivation of our prayers shouldn't be just the stuff we want.
--Come boldly before God.
--Ask, seek, and you shall find.
--You might have to pursue the details of what you've prayed for.
--God's answer might not be clear to us.

WHAT VISION OF THE FUTURE POSSESSES MY THOUGHTS
--Desire and joy beyond the self.
--Gratitude over discontentment
--Humility over self importance.

GOD GIVES US HIMSELF THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT