Our Father in Heaven

Harvest podcasts featuring Pastor Greg Laurie are brought to you by harvest partners to receive Pastor Greg free online daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org but we are thankful for every one of you and as I said before, I really do believe that the father that stands by his commitment to his wife to his children to his grandchildren and walks with God is a rare bird and I think an unsung hero in our culture today.

Julia and your dad. You guys are doing right now our country would be in the different place than it is. So thank you for what you do so, would you want to know how to pray for you right for let's pray for the dead right now. Father, we thank you for every one of these fathers and some of them are grandfathers and some are even great-grandfathers Lord Hartford it is that you will bless these men of God that you will help them to know how much they are appreciated all that they do the sacrifices they made those extra hours they put in the work of their patients. There dedication Lord, thank you for and thank you Lord that they here at church I was lot of things he could be doing that.

They took time to be here with your people with your family and Lord, we know you will bless them for it. So we asked you now to keep your hand and every one of these that we commit them to you in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

God bless you father think you know we been out a little bit about our news. The service and so I want to tell you little bit more about it. I touched on it last Sunday. I'll wait before I forget member last Sunday we went to LA to launch his new church called the court. Let me tell you what happened. First of all, the way we got the word out on this churches through what we call new media on the words we didn't use any old-school media like newspaper ads or radio ads or TV ads or anything like that. We did this all through emails because we have a considerable mailing list that's come from a radio broadcast around the country, but specifically in Southern California so we segmented all those people in the LA area and didn't we call an E blast and told him about the launch of this meeting. The launch of this church.

Then we had a post on our website. Put it on our blog site put it on Facebook use Twitter and all that and tag our radio program at the end of it and I didn't know how many people would shop.

I thought you hundred, 200 that if we had 500 I would be thrilled. So we get there first Sunday. Last Sunday, 850 people so that would be great anywhere but LA, I mean, that's amazing. So we are really thankful to God for this and the pastor Steve Wilburn who has been with us many years of harvest is going to be the pastor of the court church in their having their their official first service in about 10 minutes so will pray for them and the Lord blesses them and and also we mentioned last Sunday 01 of the thing I was able to preach on it with like member exactly like 60 people come forward and accept Christ. It was like a great beginning to really be infirm for them and we also meant to last Sunday official launch of an orange County campus that will be coming in September or October.

Depending on how long the buildout takes but let me talk a little bit about Sunday not okay so we are renaming our service in the evening. The poor service why we calling that that is a very profound reason. You might want to write this down because it's the fourth service you see here is what it is. Upper years we have needed another opportunity for worship argument harvest on Sunday because we have overflow a lot of people no more watching this on video screens and so this will be a port service but there's going to be some unique features to it.

Number one is going to be youthful, meaning that I'm to be the oldest guy participating in it.

I want to introduce you to many of the wonderful young people we have in our church, young men and women that God is will he put his hand upon a sort of as an aside, I was deleting a high school ministry. We have selected the young man that's going to lead it down. His name is Daniel Hooper and he's already a fast price out here. Daniel is a cool kid more than that. He loves the word of God is already in step with one of our pastors and he actually came up through the high school ministry and is assisted with a great team of guys there with Erin Jason Tyler and Vince and these guys are going to do a fantastic job with our kids to see more synergy in our youth ministry then perhaps you've seen before with our junior high, led by John Lee and then a high school led now by Daniel Hooper in our college and career that we call the well. Led by Josh Thompson and Mike junker others going to be more synergy between the ministries anomaly utilize a lot of these people in this new Sunday night for service by helping me with all the things that we do in the service in our worship in little question-and-answer periods were going to do when you get to know some of these great young people, God is using in our ministry.

So it's going to be youthful, number two, it's Kennedy, worshipful with extra time were not as pressed for time, I will more time to worship the Lord and that's always a good thing especially with all the great artists and musicians that we have in our church here and we always feel like we want more worship and less preaching to my right know I kidding myself out of a job here number three it's Kennedy five. As I mentioned, will be doing interviews and will be talking to a lot of interesting and diverse people crossing to use some of the things that we sort of developed in our Thursday night Bible study in Orange County were people contact and tweak questions and we answer them live in so be doing that as well.

Among other things, a number poor as always is going to be a Bible study give the same message at a given Sunday morning with a bit of a twist and as always will be an opportunity for people to make a commitment to Christ, so will be a great service to bring your nonbelieving friends to and for the lastly is going to be confusing for them almost lastly it's going to be an artist, in case you think for the lastly it's going to start an hour earlier so right out starts at 6 o'clock and were given.

Now start at 5 o'clock and to kick it off. Forget it begin with.

4 July and of course we can have our regular morning services followed by a baptism never get a breakout serious heavy duty barbecue and Mexican food and all kinds of great things for you to eat. I as well as a more applause or the food than anything else. I said Henry shows where your stomach sat her heart that but so will have all this great food, lots of activities for the kids and them will start our service at 5 o'clock crossing to be joined by the man called Leland you verbally limit our good faith) will be in the morning services as well and we will we will let you out early enough so you can run off and watch fireworks will be enough daylight left for you to get to where you need to go if you want to watch the fireworks display. We actually looked into doing one here and that was not possible. Unfortunately, so we were going to try to add that as well. But maybe someday. But anyways can be a great service so it's a port on the poor.

Starting on July 4 and will see you all there. All right list turn in our Bibles now to Matthew chapter 6 and the title of our messages, our father in heaven and were in our series at work calling worldview as we look in the sermon on the Mount today on Father's Day. We sometimes come with some mixed emotions. Mother's Day is usually a lot easier because every child loves their mom know that quarterback scores the winning touchdown in the camera goes into the tight shop we see him mouthing hi mom when a child falls and hurts themselves. The first word that comes out of their mouth is mommy even if dad is standing right there and we wondered ourselves as men. When am I chopped liver.

The answers of mom is there is your job liver no mommies always seem to trump dad's.

Of course the one day of the year when the most phone calls are made as Mother's Day and the one day of the year when the most collect calls are made just for Father's Day.

Now some of us have hands-on fathers and you're here today, perhaps with your dad or your here is a dad with your family. You're a man of God in your spiritual leader, and you're doing what God is called to the deal. We thank the Lord for you. Others have fathers that are somewhat distant disinterested are not really engaged in their lives. Sadly, others have dad's who abandon them altogether they be divorce their mom and their very little contact with them at some don't even know their father's name, and some have fathers that have died so I want to talk about one consistent thing that we all have in common and that is no matter what kind of dad you have on earth know this. You have a father in heaven, and regardless of how your father on earth has treated you for better or for worse. You of a father in heaven that is always been there for you and will always be there for you. Some 6085 says that God is up father of the fatherless, and David wrote in Psalm 2710 when my father and mother forsake me. The Lord will take care of me. Yes, we have a heavenly father and the way that we communicate with him is through prayer.

The greatest prayer that was ever pray could be called the Lord's prayer, and that's contained in the greatest sermon that was ever preached, which would be the sermon on the mount it in that particular sermon and in that prayer.

Jesus taught us to pray as follows. Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. By the way, that was a revolutionary thought to a Jewish person you see the Hebrews spirit. God and attach said sacredness to his name.

They would not even moderate fewer than seven times as God ever referred to his father in the Old Testament when he is referred to in that way it's either indirectly or rather remotely when Jesus referred to God as his father. He was accused of blasphemy in one of the reasons they crucified him was because he spoke of this special relationship he had with his father. But not only did our Lord have a but not because of his death and resurrection.

We have it to remember.

He said to Mary Magdalena I am going to ascend to my God and your God, to my father, into your father, but when we think of our father in heaven we might react differently. I mean if you have a disengaged disinterested pass of father.

You might think God's outweigh sort of disconnected oblivious to what's going on in your life or not really care to get your hands on a ball. Loving skews me nurturing affirming dad, you might apply that toward God because we need to do. We need to not use God the way that we view an earthly dad. We need to view God as he is presented in Scripture as a father not only does God tell us in his word were to address them as father but were to do so in an intimate way. Romans 815 says you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but one of adoption, whereby you cry.

Father the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and of children and heirs. Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and as I've told you before this phrase, speaks of intimacy like calling your father or daddy or pop-up.

I don't know what you call your father. I hope you don't call him father.

I mean, you might refer to them that way occasionally, but that's very formal father. Father, I had a question. Serve you don't mind.

Yes, what is it no you probably call him dad or daddy year Papa are pops.

Note: the old man police not to his face, which Elyse gone. Then you can call them that I'm not suggesting we call God pops her daddy or something like that who I suppose you could, but the idea is it's an affectionate relationship we have with him. I grandchildren call me Papa and little Lucy. Now who is just starting to talk and walk will call me that in which he wants to get out of her high charities on the ground and she wants to be picked up to lift her hands up and just think the pop-up Terry Q how can you resist that the paparazzi says. And so I picked her up the out of the highchair off the ground.

If you want to know what kind of father we have in heaven.

Just look at Jesus because Jesus said in John 14 nine he that is seen me has seen the father that he also said in John 819, if you want to and if you know me, you will know the father also. So what's God the father, like just look at Jesus look at Jesus with the little children in his arms, blessing them, look at Jesus with tears streaming down his face that brave of his friend Lazarus look at Jesus washing the disciples feet in the upper room. That is what your father in heaven is like.

If you want an accurate snapshot of God a proper portrait of the father. Just look at the story of the prodigal son in a way, it's not even fair to call the story that because it really isn't all about that son in many ways it's about the loving father, but it's done in Luke 15, and it usually called the parable of the prodigal son, so will refer to it as such.

But it's a story that Jesus told it was more qualified to talk about the father then Jesus. So here's how Jesus presents the father and engaged, loving, affectionate father that loves his son and in the story, of course, the father, his two sons. The youngest said father I want my portion of the estate.

Now the father divided up the sun goes off to a distant land lives like a fool as a prodigal blowing his money consorting with prostitutes, ending up in a pigpen literally coming to his senses and returning, but we see a father that longs for his son's return and runs to throw his arms around him and kisses him over and over again affect the account of the story in Luke 15 goes this way from a modern translation, when the boy was still a long way off, his father saw him, his heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him and kissed him, the sun started to speech. Father, I sin against God. I send for you. I don't deserve to be called your son ever again, but the father was not listening.

He was calling to his servants, quick bring a clean set of closing dress and put the family ring in his finger and sandals on his feet and I got a grain fed helper and roasted it and the father said we are going to be forget I have a wonderful time. My son is here given up her dad and now alive given up for lost and now found in the beginning.

Have a wonderful time that your father so Jesus says when you pray, say, our father who art in heaven, he did not say when you pray, say, are creator, who art in heaven is your creator, but that's not how we are to address.

Nor should we even see our God, who art in heaven, though he is our God know there's intimacy is relationship there's closeness there's affection after this manner, Jesus says therefore pray our father who art in heaven, the fatherhood of God is featured prominently in the sermon on the Mount, Jesus mentions the father 17×10 of those references include the word heaven or heavenly.

So Jesus is saying he is your father in heaven. Now let's consider the Lord's prayer. But before we look at it will read the words of preceded Jesus addresses the topic of prayer in general. In Matthew six. Starting in verse five.

Let's read together and when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the street that they may be seen by men. But surely I say to you, they have their reward. Would you when you pray going to your room when you shut your door, pray to your father who is in the secret place, and your father who sees you in secret will reward you openly.

And when you pray, Tony is vain repetitions like the heathen do they think will be heard for their many words will be like them. Your father knows the things you have need of before you ask, now Jesus introduces what we call the Lord's prayer.

In this manner therefore pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts or our sin as we forgive our debtors lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Notice that Jesus refers to the Pharisees as hypocrites. Verse five, you know, we throw this word around a lot hypocrite you know as soon as someone stumbles or makes a mistake hypocrite will say love. We have to understand what the word actually means to be a hypocrite doesn't mean that you make mistakes and you don't always live up to what you believe that such hypocrisy is called humanity and everyone of us is going to fall short in every one of us have had moments of hypocrisy, myself included, everyone of us have said things we wish we had not said we done things we wish we had not done, we had to apologize federal right wrong word to struggling Christian trying to live this out. That's not hypocrisy that's the Christian life. No hypocrite is different.

Let's understand what the word me when I was use in its original context, admitted an actor. It was the word used to describe an accurate impact in Greek culture and had no negative connotation whatsoever. You would just say will he's a hypocrite or another way to say and after he is a guy or girl that has lines that he memorizes and repeat and he pretends to be someone he is not. We watch them down on the town square and make all the little masks in front of their faces and they take on a part and we have actors today and many times we admire that we think they have a lot to tell us until we see them interviewed on the Jay Leno or Letterman we say while they are not at all like the person they portrayed on the screen without their makeup and their costume and their cleverly written lines. We realized these people are not the characters they play their actors. Maybe they're very good at it with her pretending to be something they are not.

That is what a hypocrite is. This is what we are not to be see the problem with the Pharisees in these religious people when they were putting on a show. It was theater and there were actors and they would put on the roads and they would say their lives and they would pray their prayers, they would give their guests and they did it in a theatrical way, in a dramatic way in a way that would draw the most attention and show how devout and pious and holy. They were but Jesus is.

You know what don't be that way at all.

Don't act that way. In fact, Jesus even said that he doesn't really like the ritualized prayer in the repeated prayer said over and over again. Not real fond of saying the same prayer, no just as in the side there's nothing wrong with saying the Lord's prayer or pray the Lord's prayer to beautiful prayer, but sometimes I think we regarded as sort of the mega prayer the killer prayer.

In other words, when almost failed. The Lord's prayer. You know that wineglass in case of emergency brake that you are father who art in heaven, I would be a no.

I'm not making fun of anyone who is ever pray this prayer in crisis because it's a powerful prayer and if your hearts engaged. I'm sure the Lord would honor it. But I'm saying that it's more than just a prayer to pray template or a model for all prayer will get to that later but sometimes will say certain prayers over and over, you know, the milk comes in will say for the food. There were about the receive we truly good things is something wrong with saying that that's the only prayer you ever pray when a change in around a little bit.

We teach this prayer to our children. I don't know really if this is the best prayer to teach a child okay honey let's print ready. Pray this after mommy or daddy. Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep if I should die before I wait. I pray the Lord my soul to take a little on this is the little child getting ready to go to sleep. You might die. I just pray God takes your soul. That's a little scary then to reassure them using a little song rock-a-bye baby in the treetop when the wind blows the cradle will rock when the bow breaks the cradle will fall then maybe all the kids terrify so you leave the room and as you're flipping off a lot you say good night sleep tight don't let the bedbugs bite traumatize her kids. Jesus is number seven. When you pray, don't use vain repetitions, as the heathen do all is said pray five our fathers, and you'll be okay. You know what God is one to pray ritualized repeated memorized prayers. He wanted to speak to him from his heart because the thing is is you can be praying these prayers without any thought of God whatsoever. I prayed without thinking of God. Guess what you have to do is were distracted, sometimes in prayer you know worship is prayer is in it set the song. Have you ever been distracted and worship, singing of the glories of God in your thinking about a double double it in and out, the animals file ongoing extra crispy on the dry we've all done that are sometimes inferable jetted wrong several years. Prayer is an opportunity to brag about their accomplishments of the prayers. More about them than God. Lord I thank you.

As you know, Lord, this morning I woke up at four been on my knees for hours and was coming out of the 30 day fasting. Lord I remember yesterday as I shared the gospel with 12 people and stuff that's on a prayer. That's a performance. Don't don't act like you're praying to God that is nothing to do with God sometimes will use prayer as an opportunity to gossip Lord you know that Jim's been cheating on his wife. What he can't wait to get out of that prayer meeting to pray for Jim know to tell everyone what you just heard others use prayer as an opportunity to impress most gracious heavenly father we come before me this day another week when they go on and on and they prayed too long. Don't pray long prayer you'll find in the Bible. Most of the public prayers were shorts, prayers in public should be shorter. Do your longer prayers in private. But sometimes our prayers are longer because we want to impress all look at how long I can pray. And sometimes we do that when the food arrived, that drives me crazy is getting cold and you're still talking. I don't even know what you're saying anymore. I don't know if you know what you're saying anymore. Jesus didn't pray long prayers in public.

You can see the Lord's prayer and what a minute or less is long prayer John 17 the Lord's prayer, the real Lordsburg that was a lengthy prayer that was in the public prayer is my point that we shouldn't pray repeated prayers that are hard to come before God.

Jesus as her safe. Your father knows the things you have either before you ask him what that's the case why even pray I mean is the object of a prayer to get God to do what I want them to do actually know prayer is not moving God your way.

Prayer is moving you. God's prayer is not getting your will in heaven. It's getting God's will on her PC. God has set up prayer if you will.

So I will need to see my regular need for his help and obviously give me everything I need all at once all of the blessings all the security all the provision all the whatever it is I neither like there is Greg Bovee haven't now know he gives it out as I needed there is grace to help in time of need, and you hit that financial crisis you get the bad news from the doctor you're going to that difficult trial and does she go to the father and say Lord I need your help in our fathers generous. By the way, with the cell is grace to help in time with me. It doesn't holdback like one kinda stingy that I heard about Sonny just got his drivers license. He was very excited about driving so we went to his dad's and dad tonight drive the family car. Father civil son.

There's a few things I like to be change in your life.

First, number one want you to improve your grades, low never to clean your room off. It's always a mess. Thirdly, do the yard work and take the trash out whenever the trash man comes and finally cut your hair. You do these things will see in a few months. A few months go by. The boy shows up that check.

This report card out straight A's. My room is clean. The trash is taken out the yard work is done by the looks of the senses yeah but you didn't cut your hair.

The boys and dad Jesus have long hair. The father said yes that's true son and he walked everywhere he went. So in contrast to a dad like that your heavenly father loves to provide for you so you come to him with your request. Prayer is not to bend the arm of God. It's been my will to his true prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance is taking hold of his willingness Alan Redpath said and I quote prayer is not primarily a means of getting something done. It is a concern for the glory of God. After this manner, Jesus said you should pray our father who art in heaven, you know the Lord's prayer can be divided into two sections. The first three requests have to do with the glory of God. The final three deal with the need of men.

The first three our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it as it is in heaven are talking about God's glory.

The final three. Give us this day our daily bread. I lead us not into temptation up. Forgive us our sins and support those deal with the need of man as I said are really ready the Lord's prayer is not so much a prayer to pray as much as it is a template for prayer a model for prayer and notice how it starts. Our father who art in heaven, so here's what Jesus is saying when you come into God's presence contemplate the awesome God.

You're approaching. In other words, we should never start with ourselves in prayer. Remember, this is God Almighty. This is the creator of the universe. By the way, that helps you get your problems in the perspective you went to big problems right now but if you have big problems. Maybe you have a small God. But if you realize how big your God is see how small your problems are comparably so. Prayer helps you get perspective as you contemplate the glory of God as you rehearse yourself the power of God, even reminding yourself of all the Lord is taking care of you in times past father you're so glorious you're so powerful you're the one that created world. You are the one that raises the dead Lord you've been so faithful to me and as I say those words honoring God.

I'm thinking about my situation and suddenly I'm starting to get a new perspective on it so don't just going to God's presence and safe. My father worn in heaven give me this day my daily bread that's all a lot of us pray that's not the infrastructure of the Lord's prayer, and in effect the template for prayer. No start by saying my father worn in heaven, hallowed be your name doesn't mean we say those words hollow it means to set apart to set apart and means that God is set apart in my life. In other words above everything else and everyone else. He is the Lord of all the means of my life or my character. I want to say Jesus Christ. Apart and live a holy life. Therefore I must ask myself and many of my interests and ambitions, and pursuit enhances for the glory of God coming right, hallowed be thy name over this. What about that career choice I've made that business decision. Those friends I've chosen to hang out with.

Can I write hallowed be thy name over Martin Luther said and I quote how is God's name hallowed among us is when both our doctrine and living are truly Christian see the problem is we will have our plans and make our decision and then to say Lord blessed.

I've already decided what to do now Lord blessed.

No, my father worn in heaven, your name is set apart your name is to be revered, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

By the way, that is a multilevel request with different shades of meaning number one it's a request for the return of Jesus Christ of the when I pray your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven and say Lord come back to planet Earth.

The word that is used for kingdom does not speak primarily of a geographical territory, but to sovereignty and dominion.

So when I prayed I kingdom come. I pray for God's rule on earth.

The work comp indicates a sudden, instantaneous calming time say Lord come back. Have you ever prayed a prayer like that Lord come back. I'm looking forward to your return. I think if you're right with God.

You will long for the return of Jesus, and you will be able to save thy kingdom come, thy will be done in disbelief that Jesus could come back at any time will of a purifying effect on your life.

Spiritual because were told in first John 33 he that has this hope the whole syllable, the hope of the Lord's return, purifies himself, even as he is. So when I pray your kingdom come, your will be done. It is a prayer for the return of Jesus.

Number two. It's a personal request.

It's a personal request I am asking for the kingdom of God become my own life. What is the kingdom of God will invisible rate of Christ when he returns, but the kingdom of God also refers to the rule and reign of Christ in our lives as individuals and as a body of believers.

I need a Matthew 633. Later on in the sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

Put God's kingdom above your own, and then he told us that the kingdom of God was in the midst of us when he walked among a group of people meaning wherever Jesus is that for the kingdom of God is within over and Romans were told the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking for the keeping of rules and regulations but it's righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit time say Lord I want your rule. Your kingdom your sovereignty in my life. But know this before I can pray by kingdom come, I must first pray my kingdom go to number one. It's a prayer for the return of Jesus.

Number two.

It's a prayer for the rule and reign of Christ in my life. And thirdly, it's a request for the salvation of those that do not know the Lord. In effect, it's an evangelistic prayer as his kingdom is ruling and reigning in my life I can play a part in bringing that kingdom to other one way that God's kingdom is brought to this earth is each time a new soul is brought to Jesus Christ.

So with this new work up in Los Angeles and Orange County, the Crusades, we do around the country and around the world. We are extending the kingdom that our job in evangelistic prayer. It's a reminder that we should be praying for the salvation of those that do not know the Lord because we know it is God's will for people to believe the Scripture. Scripture tells us God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. And so you should pray for nonbeliever that they become believers of this is modeled for us in Scripture all over in Isaiah chapter 53 verse 12 we read that Jesus interceded for the transgressor and remember as he hung on the cross. This first word from Calvary work. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. He prayed for nonbelievers.

Do you a striking illustration of this is shown in the life of Stephen remember that he was brought before the Sanhedrin and he preached the gospel and so they stoned him to death, and as he was being Margaret, he prayed Lord don't lay this sin against their charge prayed for the people doing this to him and presiding over this horrific event was a man known as Saul of Tarsus, Amanda would dedicated his life to hunting down torturing and murdering followers of Jesus, and who knows if Stephen didn't even direct his prayers to God for Saul, maybe as he was dining on the Lord, save that guy there. That guy in charge like just holding up.

There's no way you're crazy you know. Pray for Saul.

Saul would never become a Christian as you know the rest of that story on the Damascus Rd., Saul of Tarsus met Jesus of Nazareth. Lazarus, Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth definitely got Lazarus another team up with some twisted thing okay, Solomon, Jesus, let's just leave it at that and then he became of course the apostle Paul. I bring that up because maybe you know someone that is so hard in their sin you could never imagine them being a Christian. There just, you know, profane in their mean in their atheist and and you know they have Darwin stickers on their car. You know the God of the way to harass you all that business so far from God. I'm telling you start praying for him right now.

Pray that God will get hold of them. No one is beyond the reach of prayer. Everyone can come so it's an evangelistic prayer that we all praying so we say Lord, your kingdom come, your will be done under as it is in heaven. You know that was a time when heaven and earth existed in perfect harmony in the and guessing that nobody was all harmonious. Everything was good. So beautiful in fact that God said of his creation. It's very good. That was when God's will was the dominant will, but after the rebellion of Lucifer, who later became Satan. Other wills were introduced that brought division between heaven and earth. Satan, one of the top position, he lost his prominent position in heaven, and then he fell in the law center the devil and his demons, and sometimes even Christians rebel against God, and they want their own way. But God wants his will on earth as it is in heaven and we are to pray and work toward that goal. Prayer as I said already is not to get our will in heaven, but to accomplish God's will honor true prayer is a partnership between heaven and earth. So how is God's will accomplished honor primarily through us. We do by the way that we pray for the way that we live by the way that we share the gospel by kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven is not always easy will of God. And a lot of times will God's peace at K beautiful you know your financial need and you go to the Lord, you say Lord, would you provide the Lord says yes I love the will of God when you're sick and you pray for healing and God gives it to me as a man. The will of God. Nothing better. What about when the sickness doesn't go away. What about when the crisis gets worse.

What about when you find out you only have six months to live. What about you fill in the blank crisis hits in some way shape or form is this is the will of God is God paying attention. It is then that you need to pray. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done and who modeled this for us.

Jesus didn't just preach a stop. He lived in there beneath the gnarled olive trees of Gethsemane. He prayed that prayer.

He said father if it's possible let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.

What was the cop Jesus was speaking up. It was a cop of the wrath of God, that he was about to drink the pressure on Jesus was so intense on this particular time. At this particular time that Dr. Luke tells us what is a work great drops of blood. He was in deep sorrow in English disciples had never seen. In this way before you say Lord of there's any other way for this to be accomplished. That's what I want. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.

Jesus is given to us a model of what we are doing times of uncertainty because we don't always know the will of God in every situation. Doing and there are times we know it we don't like it I can. The case of Jonah go preach within the limits benefits.

I'm really messed up thing the benefit I like that go preach to the Ninevites and of course Jonah said no.

Once the opposite direction.

Then there are times when were experiencing the will of God, and it makes no sense.

Like in the case of Job, or Joseph, as you read their story. Sometimes you can second-guess and he Job what's up with. With all this complaining at what why can't you what you know he was living in real time. Joan never read the end of the book of Joe.

All he knew was one day everything was going great. The next day he lost is possessions. He lost is hell and he lost his family. He didn't know the end of this Nordic Joseph.

So the point is, that's where were at in life were in the middle of the story. Maybe closer to the end, we read that we realize.

But the story isn't done, so maybe were in the middle going when I don't get this to me it was going really well.

I like that it was good. Good.

Chapter 1234 was fantastic.

Now this chapter makes no sense who God is not done writing the chapters any promises that he'll work it all together for good to those that love him.

So you need to just pray, not my will but yours be done.

Never be afraid to commit an unknown future to unknown God for every believer there will be a Gethsemane if you will, a place that is beyond our comprehension, a place we cannot handle on our own place. We simply surrender in every way to the will of God.

A place were we pray, not my will but yours be done. Don't be afraid to say that to God is with the Lord says in Ecclesiastes 311 God is made everything beautiful for its own time is planted eternity in the human heart, but even so people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. No, we can't but God can.

And he has a plan and he has a purpose and is to be a beginning, a middle and an end and in the end were all going to agree.

This is good, and until that day, we say, not my will but yours be done. Not one little thing, I might add a suite close is when Jesus was in Gethsemane before he pray not my will but yours be done. He said Abba father is a phrase again Abba father, affection, trusts, and the will of the father has the Lord shown you is will the best of your ability. Do it. Are you running from the will of God. Don't because your father loves you. Some of you may be running from God. You've been sinning against God and the need to come back to him and the need to say happy pop is calling you are your prodigal son are your prodigal father. Maybe you came with your family today on Father's Day. They promised to food afterwards so you can they promised to Ronnie or maybe your a girl who is been running from God. Whoever you are, he loves you and that's your father, and scriptwriter know about your earthly dad. Maybe he's a great dad and okay that maybe he's a bad dad. Maybe you never knew your dad. I never knew my but there's good news. As a father in heaven that can be known. And he's chasing you not to hurt you but to throw his arms around you and rescue you, and he'll come to him today to forgive you of every sin you've ever committed and give you a new beginning of life. When you pray known if you need to make a commitment or recommitment to Jesus wanted to do that as we close in prayer.

Let's all our heads. Father, thank you for your word to us today. Thank you that we have a father. We can speak to a father who listens a father who loves us and I pray for any here that do not yet know you maybe have been running from you. Like the prodigal son. Lord, would you help them to come to their senses and return to you.

We pray in your name on the heads of God and her eyes are closed or praying. Maybe you've come here today in you don't know if you have a relationship with God.

You don't have the confidence that if you were to die, you would go to heaven know this friend Jesus Christ the son of God died on the cross for your sin, and he rose again from the dead, and he stands at the door of your life in the not and he says if you hear his voice and open the door coming if you want Jesus Christ to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know with certainty that you will go to heaven when you die, would you lift your hand up right now wherever you're sitting there like the pray for you. God bless you up there in the balcony. God bless a lot of you up there in the balcony. Down here in the ground floor. God bless you to just lift your hand up you want Jesus Christ to come in your life today over there in the side of but she was well. God bless you there in the corner. God bless you and the others, she down toward the front of bless all of you. Anybody else you want God's forgiveness. You're tired of running from God, lift your hand up a prayer for you.

God bless you, standing there in the balcony. When I heads are still valid. Maybe you're a prodigal son or daughter you fallen away what you want to come back to the Lord today. Raise your hand up. I'll pray for you, your prodigal and you want to return call. Bless you bless each one father thinking out for each one of these and I pray you give them the strength to stand up and follow you, for we ask it in Jesus name, amen