“TEACH US TO PRAY”

Jesus gave His disciples an outline around which to build their time alone with God.

(Matthew 6:10) “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

PLEASING

Pleasing God is the power behind prayer

1. Sovereignty

A. This answers the question: “WHAT pleases God?”

(Being sovereign King over all men pleases God.)

B. Why doesn’t our society acknowledge God as the supreme authority?

i. We don’t want what God wants – we want what WE want.

ii. We don’t want God to have authority over us – WE want authority over ourselves.

C. If I’m going to earnestly pray that God be recognized as the sovereign king and that His will be done, where does it have to begin? With ME!

2. Synchronize

A. This answers the question, “WHY allow God to become sovereign over my life?

(So that my will can become synchronized with God’s will.)

B. Verse 10 refers to the unfolding of God’s great redemptive plan.

(Hebrews 9:28) “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”

C. God’s redemptive plan involves each one of our lives.

(Psalm 139:16) “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

D. God will keep each of us in His will as long as we allow Him to be sovereign in our daily lives.

(1 John 5:14) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask -we know that we have what we asked for.”

3. Surrender

A. This answers the question, “HOW do we please God?” (By surrendering to Him.)

B. For practical guidance on how to surrender to God every morning:

(Romans 12:1-2, KJV) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

(Psalm 25:1-5, KJV) “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed; let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in they truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”

(Proverb 3:5-6, KJV) “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

C. On earth as it is in heaven.