Pick Me Series

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Part 2 of 4

“Pick Me!”

Monday, August 08, 2005

Matthew 6:9b-10, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

1. God includes us.

• Were you ever picked first for anything?

• I was left off a baseball team that my friends made.

• I was overlooked by the “coolest” guy in seminary for a spot on “the” team because I had stolen his girlfriend.

• God decidedly wants you and me!

• John 15:16

• Matthew 18:10-14

• John 14:18

• An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.

-- A. W. Tozer

2. Prayer is primarily preoccupied with God.

• And I thought it was about me

• The pronouns give it away (your)

• Preoccupied with God’s glory as it relates to his name, his authority, his desire

i. I desire God’s name to be treated with reverence and that His character be foremost in my mind—this prompts me to live right, not just give lip service...because I represent this God when I call myself a Christian.

ii. I can pray for two things as it relates to God’s kingdom. First, that its impact shall be manifested here and now and therefore grow in the earthly realm. Secondly, that He shall return and usher in the age of his total reign! (1 Th. 4:13 ff.)

iii. I bring glory to God when I acknowledge his will is best. It demonstrates: 1-I know my tiny brain cannot possibly fathom the best of all things;

The story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend

with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at

every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or

negative) and remarking, "This is good!"

One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting

expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the

king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in

preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his

friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off.

Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual,

"This is good!"

To which the king replied, "No, this is not good!"

and proceeded to send his friend to jail.

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he

should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and

took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some

wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake.

As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the

king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate

anyone who was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent

him on his way.

As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken

his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend.

He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend.

"You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown

off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just

happened. "And so, I am very sorry for sending you to jail for

so long. It was bad for me to do this."

"No," his friend replied, "This is good!"

"What do you mean, ’This is good’?

How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"

"If I had not been in jail, I would have been with you."

2-God is just and his decisions will bring about the best;

3-I check my ungodly or ill-conceived desires at the door of prayer.

Conclusion

Last night our 3 words to remember about prayer were:

1. Humility

2. Simplicity

3. Consistency

Tonight, our 3 words are:

1. Adoption

2. Adoration

3. Submission