You Are What You Pray

Q: What does the Bible say about praying?

The Bible teaches that prayer should be sincere and reflect our relationship with God as our Father, as exemplified in the Lord's Prayer. In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus teaches His disciples what is often called the Lord's Prayer. This prayer serves as a model, guiding believers on how to communicate with God. It's not merely about rote memorization or recitation but understanding the significance behind each phrase. By beginning with 'Our Father,' it emphasizes the personal relationship believers have with God, suggesting that not everyone can call Him 'Father.' The prayer encompasses praise, submission to God's will, acknowledgment of our dependence on Him, and a confession of our sins, showcasing the thematic elements of relationship, reverence, and reliance.

Q: Why is calling God 'Father' important for Christians?

Calling God 'Father' signifies a deep personal relationship, unique to believers who have been adopted into His family through Christ. In the sermon, it is emphasized that only those who truly believe in Christ can rightfully call God 'Father.' This reflects a relationship established through union with Christ, as articulated in Hebrews 2:11, which states that Christ is not ashamed to call believers 'brothers.' Furthermore, Ephesians 1:5 reveals that believers are predestined for adoption as God's children. This understanding of God as Father is crucial, as it shapes a believer’s identity and signifies their belonging to God's family, setting them apart from those who remain outside of grace.

Q: How do we know prayer is effective?

Prayer is effective when it's rooted in faithful dependence on God, acknowledging His sovereignty and our reliance on His grace. Believers are taught to pray with an understanding of their complete dependence on God for both spiritual and material needs, as highlighted in Matthew 6:11 with 'Give us this day our daily bread.' This acknowledgment of reliance underscores the nature of prayer within the sovereign grace framework: it’s not merely about asking for things but expressing trust in God's provision and His will, recognizing His sovereignty in all aspects of life. The prayer also represents a heartfelt desire for God's will to be fulfilled, reinforcing the transformative nature of prayer in a believer's life.

Q: Why should Christians forgive others?

Christians should forgive others because they have first been forgiven by God, and forgiveness is central to the Christian faith. The sermon emphasizes that forgiveness is not only an act of obedience but a natural outflow of having received God's grace. Jesus instructs believers to pray for forgiveness, saying, 'forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors' (Matthew 6:12). This reflects the principle that our understanding and acceptance of God’s forgiveness towards us enable and compel us to forgive others. Believers who truly comprehend their own forgiveness will inherently exhibit a forgiving spirit, reinforcing communal harmony and reflecting God’s character in their relationships.

Todd's Road Grace Church would like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd Nyberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at 9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services. For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert.

I'm going to read what is known as the disciples' prayer when the Lord taught them to pray. I've entitled this message, You Are What You Pray. Now I realize that this prayer has been used over the centuries billions of times. Memorized, uh, that's not prayer. If I'm simply repeating something by wrote and by memorization, there's an understanding of this prayer when it's prayed, but let's read this together. In Matthew chapter six, verse nine, the Lord says after this manner, therefore pray. Now that ought to get our attention when the Lord says here is what to pray concerning.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen. In this prayer, and I'm not talking about simply being able to quote it because many are able to quote it, I'm talking about having some understanding of the meaning. In this prayer, we find out what a believer really is. You are what you pray. Now, the Lord begins this prayer with the word, our. Our Father, which is in heaven, the personal possessive pronoun, our. Now, who is meant by our?

Not everyone can call God our father. The Lord said to the Pharisees, you're of your father, the devil, and the less of your father you will do. Who is represented by this hour? all of God's elect, every believer, every child. Not everybody's a child. I think it's interesting that this prayer has nothing but our and we and us. Every believer is involved in this prayer, this so important prayer, our Father. A believer is a child of God. Not everybody's a child of God, only those who believe. I love what Christ said to Mary Magdalene. He said, I go to my father and your father. I go to my God and your God. Now, how can I actually be a child of God if not everybody's a child of God? How can I be a child of God?

I see how I can be one of his creatures. I have no problem with that. He's my creator. But how can I actually be his child? Well, first of all, if I'm a child, it's because I am eternally united to Jesus Christ, his son. I am one with him. If I'm a child, Hebrews two 11 says, both he that sanctified and they who are sanctified are all of one for the witch cause. He's not ashamed to call them brethren. I am one with Christ. Is he a son? I'm a son. As he is, 1 John 4, 17 says, as he is, so are we in this world. I'm a child by union. I'm a child by adoption.

He adopted me. This is true of every child of God. He adopted me into His great family. He chooses us to be His adopted children. Listen to this scripture from Ephesians 1, verse 5, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself. God selected every one of his children. He predestinated every one of his children. He chose every one of his children to be his adopted children. And not only am I a child by virtue of union with Christ, No, not only am I his adopted child, I'm a child by birth. He birthed me into his kingdom.

Listen to this scripture, John chapter one, verse 12, as many as received him, To them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them which believe on His name, which were born, which were birthed." This is talking about the new birth. When God the Holy Spirit gives me a new nature. Peter calls it partakers of the divine nature. This is what happens when someone's born again. They're given life from the dead. They're given life that they did not have before. They're given a nature that they did not have before.

And now every believer is partakers of the divine nature, having been fathered by God. The seed of God implanted the new man. Now this is mysterious, but it's true. A believer is a child of God. Our father, which art in heaven, not the man upstairs. Our father, which art in heaven. A believer is a worshiper.

Hallowed be thy name. Holy, reverend, set apart, other is thy name. Now, when we talk about the name of the Lord, we're talking about the person behind the name. Simply being able to audibly articulate his name is not the worship being spoken of here. Hallowed. Holy, Reverend, other is thy name. His name is the person behind the name.

Now, all of his attributes is what his name represents. His sovereignty, his justice, His immutability. He can't change. His omniscience. He knows everything. He's never learned. His omnipresence. You can't go anywhere where He's not. He's everywhere. He's not bound by space or time. God is Spirit. His independence. He has no needs outside of Himself. He doesn't need you or I to do something before He can act. He's utterly independent.

God is love. Now all of His attributes are manifest in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the declaration of who God is. Christ nailed to a cross tells us of God's purpose. He's the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It tells us of His justice. He's no respecter of persons. Even when sin is found in his son, he kills him because he's no respecter of persons. God's just. He's made the way to be just and justify the ungodly.

Oh, the wisdom God displays in this his love, his mercy, every attribute of God is fully displayed in the cross. All his name, all his name represents the person behind his name. And a believer worships God for who he is. Hallowed other. Holy is thy name.

Now, the next thing the Lord says when he teaches us to pray is, thy kingdom come. Do you know even the thief on the cross understood something about this when he said, Lord, remember me when you return in your kingdom as a mighty reigning king, thy kingdom come. Now, there is some understanding in this prayer that things are not now as we believe they will be one day. Thy kingdom come.

Now His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. He said, my kingdom is not of this world. It's not a political kingdom. There's no Democrats and Republicans and whatever else. This is a spiritual kingdom, and it's not a kingdom you can really see physically. The Lord said, the kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Somebody says, well, here's the kingdom of God. No, it's not. It's a spiritual kingdom of which he said, my kingdom is not of this world.

It's the King where He is King. His jurisdiction knows no boundaries. He's the King of kings. He's the Lord of lords. And when He returns, we're going to see His glorious kingdom. I love Revelation 17, verse 14, where we read that He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and His subjects are described, they that are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful. Oh, we desire His kingdom, and we say, we're not of this world. We're of the kingdom that we're praying to come. Thy kingdom come. The next thing he tells us to pray is, Thy will be done. As in heaven, so in earth. Thy will be done. Now, what do you think of the will of God?

I know what the Lord Jesus thought. He said, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, this cup of taking on the sins of my people and being separated from you and being crucified and being made sin. In the Lord's human nature, he shrunk at the thought of that because he knew he was going to bear the full equivalent of an eternal hell in his hours on the cross. And he said, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.

Nevertheless, not my will. but thine be done." Now, this is what every believer desires, the will of God to be done. And that's our prayer if we're true believers, not my will, but thy will be done. That's what we want. That's what we desire. He says, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Now, here on earth, his will of decree is always done. Everything he purposes comes to pass. There's no such thing as bad luck. There's no such thing as happenstance. Whatever takes place is his will being done. His will and decree is always done. His purpose is never frustrated. But here on earth, his will of command is never done. That's why there is sin. That's why there's suffering. That's why there's misery. His will of command is never done. If His will of command was done, this would be a perfect place, but it's not.

But we're praying, let your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. In heaven, His will and decree is always done, and His will of command is always done properly, willingly, lovingly, His will is always done. Let it be that way here on earth.

One of these days it will be when his kingdom has come. His will will be being done on earth as it is in heaven. Now, I don't want anyone to think, well, God's not in control of everything because look at all the bad things that are happening. He's in control of everything. His will of decree is always done and he brings good out of evil, but his will is command is not done here on earth. One of these days it will be, and this is the prayer of our hearts, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Now the next thing he tells us to pray for is in verse 11, give us this day our daily bread. In that request, I am saying that I am completely dependent upon Him. Now remember the title of this prayer, you are what you pray. A believer is someone who is in that group are. He's a child of the Father. He's someone who is a subject of his kingdom. He actually wants the Lord's will to be done. That's in his heart.

And he realizes he's completely dependent on an independent God. Now, when I'm saying, give us this day our daily bread, I realize I'm dependent upon him for all things material. and all things spiritual. I'm dependent upon Him for the next breath I take. I'm dependent upon Him for the food I eat, the water I drink, the clothes I wear, the roof that's over my head. I'm dependent on Him physically for everything, and I realize that. I know that.

Now, everybody else is too, but not everybody else knows it. What do you have? I can say this to every believer. What do you have that you didn't receive? Everything you had, God gave to you, and you're completely dependent upon him for all things material. And I love the way he said, give us this day, our daily bread, live in the present, look to him for today's needs. But this is also talking about us being completely dependent upon him for all things spiritual. Now listen to this. If God doesn't act in my behalf, I will not be saved. I need God to choose me. If He doesn't choose me, I won't be saved. This is talking about divine election. I need God to choose me.

I need Christ to represent me. I need Him to work out a righteousness for me. I need Him to pay for my sins. I need Him to be raised from the dead so God is satisfied with what He did and me in Him. I need God the Holy Spirit to give me life. I'll never spiritually live unless He gives me life. I need to be given faith before I can believe. I need to be granted repentance. I need to be preserved. I'll fall away if I'm not preserved by Him. I need to be raised from the dead at that last day. I can't raise myself from the dead. I need to be made perfectly conformed to his image.

Here's the point. We are utterly dependent upon him for all things material and all things spiritual. Give us this day our daily bread. And then he says in verse 12, and forgive us our debts. In Luke's account it says transgressions, sins. Sin is a debt against God. Forgive us our debts as we forgive Now remember, a believer is what he prays. The Lord teaches us to pray every time we pray. Forgive us our debts. A believer is a sinner. That's why we confess every time we pray, forgive us of our sins. A believer is a sinner. A believer is a lawbreaker. A believer is someone who has broken God's law. A believer understands himself to be a sinner.

I'm a sinner. Paul said, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief. Not I was the chief. I am the chief. The more I know about the Lord, the more sinful I'm going to see myself to be. Somebody who doesn't see themselves to be a sinner is simply because they're ignorant. They're ignorant of the character of God. If you knew the Lord, you'd know you were a sinner. That's what it takes to know you're a sinner. You got to know who he is. You got to know him.

Forgive us our debts. David said, my sin is ever before me. Forgive us our debts. But let me say this about a believer. A believer is a forgiven sinner. A believer is someone whose sins have been forgiven. They've been blotted out. They've been made not to be by the blood of Christ.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now, it doesn't say if we confess our sins, He's merciful and gracious to forgive us of our sins, although He is, but it says He's faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He's faithful to forgive me of my sins because He's determined He's going to do it before time began. He's just to forgive me of my sins because he's made the way for God to be just and justify the ungodly. And now the very justice of God because of the work of Christ in my half demands the forgiveness of my sins. A believer is a sinner, yes. A believer is a forgiven sinner. And a believer is a forgiving sinner. Look what he says, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Now this is the only part of the prayer, this prayer that the Lord commented on.

We read in verse 14, for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses. Forgive us as we forgive others. Now, let me give you five reasons to forgive.

Number one, if we do not forgive, we'll not be forgiven. Now you can just take that and run with it because it's what the Lord says. Somebody says, I never forgive. Well, I hope you never sin then because you'll never be forgiven if you do. We are forgiven as we forgive. Now, I'm not forgiven because I forgive. I forgive because I've been forgiven. And if I fail to forgive, I've never been forgiven. I don't know anything about the forgiveness of sins.

Number two, we will be forgiven as we forgive." That's what the Lord says. We will be forgiven as we forgive. And thirdly, We will be much happier people if we forgive. Instead of resentment over being mistreated, holding a grudge in forgiving, that burden disappears. And if we fail to forgive, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 2, verse 10, Satan has the advantage over us. And forgiving is the most God-like thing we can ever do, is to forgive somebody. A believer is a sinner, a believer is a forgiven sinner, a believer is a forgiving sinner.

And then the Lord teaches us to pray in verse 13, lead us not into temptation. Now, when I make that request, I am saying I am so weak that if I'm tempted, I'll fall. Let me not be tempted. A temptation sometimes speaks of trials. and troubles that we're going to experience, things the Lord brings our way.

And James actually says, Canada joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith, this is what the Lord's using it for. And it's a blessing. I'm not saying I want to be tried and tempted and go through trials, I'd rather not. But I know if the Lord sends them my way, it's for my good and his glory. But this is talking about the temptation to sin.

I am so weak that if I'm tempted, I'll fall. So don't let me be tempted. Put a hedge about me. Put a wall about me so I'm not even tempted because I am so weak. And then the Lord says, but deliver us from evil. Rescue us from evil. rescue us from this evil world. It is an evil world.

John said, all that's of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, the lust of fallen nature. The lust of the eyes, being more concerned about what men see than what God sees. Doing things to please men, not living in the fear of God. The pride of life, self-righteousness. It's not of the Father, it's of the world.

Rescue me from this present evil world. Rescue me from the evil one, Satan. There is a being. called Satan, the evil one. Now he's God's devil. It's not like there's a battle between good and evil. He's God's devil. And he can't make a move without God's permission. But I know this about myself. I'm no match for him. And I pray, Lord, deliver me from this evil one. And Lord, deliver me from this evil one.

You know, when the Lord was speaking to his disciples, he said, if you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children. Do you reckon any of the disciples had their feathers ruffled when he said that? If you then being evil, know if you're a disciple of his, you know that's the truth with regard to you. I am my own greatest enemy. Deliver me from this evil one. Save me from myself. Deliver us from evil.

And then he ends the prayer with this statement, for thine is the kingdom, thine the power and the glory forever, amen. Now we acknowledge that the kingdom is his. The earth is the Lord's. and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein. He is the King of the universe, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. His kingdom has no boundaries. He is King.

You know, that's why they crucified him. They wrote this accusation over his head, Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews, will not have this man reign over us. Oh, you will. He is king, whether you like it or not. Now, here's what a believer does. A believer joyfully acknowledges his kingship.

Thine is the kingdom. We're not into the kingdoms of this world. We're not into a political kingdom. We're into the kingdom where He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Thine is the power Power belongeth unto the Lord. No man has any power. We talk about powerful men and women, that's foolishness. Only God has power and men are in His hands. He puts them in the position they're in, but power belongeth to the Lord.

That's seen in creation when He spake the world into existence simply as an act of His will. It's seen in providence where He controls everything. It's seen in salvation. He is salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. He controls salvation. He controls who will be saved.

And thine is the glory, the credit. He gets the credit. He gets the glory for salvation. We don't give man the credit. We don't give his free will the credit. God gets all the glory. God gets all the credit in salvation. And we love it that way because if any credit goes to man, that means salvation is by in some way by works.

And that's not good news at all. Salvation is by works. I'm in trouble. I won't be saved. Thank God all the glory goes to him. And I'm so thankful for that. Now in this prayer, the Lord tells us what a believer is. I pray that you and I be models of what this prayer really is. May God bless you. Amen. To receive a copy of the sermon you have just heard send your request to todd.neibert at gmail.com or you may write or call the church at the information provided on the screen.

You Are What You Pray

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about praying?

Why is calling God 'Father' important for Christians?

How do we know prayer is effective?

Why should Christians forgive others?

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You Are What You Pray

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about praying?

Why is calling God 'Father' important for Christians?

How do we know prayer is effective?

Why should Christians forgive others?

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

Comments

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