#17 We went to church the first Sunday of 2022 and here's what I heard

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On January 2, 2022, my family decided to attend church in person instead of virtual worship. Here are the lessons I heard from the sermon. Note: Listening to a sermon is a subjective experience. Therefore, my notes below do not represent the totality of the message delivered by the pastor.

Messenger: Pastor A

Opening remarks

  • Do you have a hunger for righteousness? How to build our deeper relationships with God? Through prayer.
  • Who taught you to pray? The messenger's dad taught him how to pray? Reflection: My late father also taught me how to pray and to develop the habit of praying anytime, anywhere, and as a family. That's one of the greatest legacies I acquired from him.
  • Jesus taught us how to run to God - through prayer.
Sermon Title: When You Pray

Text: Matthew 6:5-15 (The Lord's Prayer)

  • Common excuse on why Christians are not able to pray - busy! To Christians, prayer should become like the act of breathing, a natural act!

Lesson 1: When you pray, don't fear man

  • verse 5 - when you pray, you must not be a hypocrite showing off to others
  • Looking back in v. 2 - hypocrites show off their giving, not sincere giving. They have pride, or the desire to be recognized by others and be above others.
  • Instead when you pray (v. 6), pray in secret and commune with God.
  • Prayer is a personal communion with the Father.
  • Prayer is an intimate moment with God. Let's bury our souls to the Father.

Lesson 2: When you pray, don't manipulate God but seek Him

  • v. 7 - do not use meaningless repetition
  • Prayer is not like a prescription medicine that you take or do when you have troubles. Prayer must be natural like breathing in order to live.
  • Prayer should not be done as a performance but as seeking and communing with God.
  • God answers our prayers out of His abundance and mercy. He knows our needs (v. 8). Trust His heart.

Lesson 3: When you pray, fear God

  • v. 9 - He's our Father
  • We are already accepted by God! You are a child of God as the way you are!
  • Prayer must begin and end with Him. He is near to us and beyond us.
  • Honor Him in our prayers - "hallowed be your name" v.9
  • To fear God is to pray that His will be done, not ours. Let's live our lives with a fear of the Lord.

Lesson 4: When you pray, come dependently

  • v. 11 - give us this day our daily bread
  • We need the Lord every hour of our lives.
  • He cares not only about our eternal needs but also our human needs
  • Notes from my Bible commentary
    • 3 petitions are directed to God (verses 9-10): hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, and
    • 3 toward human needs (verses. 11-13): daily needs, forgiveness, deliverance from evil
  • Let us pray for one another - give us our daily bread
  • Bring your sins to Him
  • v. 13 - we will face many trials and temptations. Depend on Him.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13 - God is faithful. He will help you and enable you to endure it.
  • verses 15-16 - Seek his power to help. Forgive others as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

Reflection

    Prayer is one of the most beautiful privileges that God has given us. We are sinners and fall short in the glory of God. Yet, through Christ, God the Father restored our relationship with Him. Now, we can call upon and commune with Him. Through prayer, I can pour out my emotions on Him. I can tell my praises, joys, and thanksgiving. I can also bring my burdens, doubts, and worries. Of course, I can also commit my requests, letting His will be done. I am genuinely in communion with the Father during those moments. Prayer has no time or place restrictions. My family prays before a long trip, at the parking lot, in the afternoon, or anytime a member worries about something.
    If there is one thing that my children I want them to inherit from me is the habit of praying unceasingly, just like my late father who taught me to have a prayerful life. He also ingrained in me the practice of having nightly family prayer. It's a legacy that I think is paying off. Last night, one day after my daughter left for Vermont for the spring semester, she sent a message in our group text that said, "Hi, can we pray together?" I was like, AMEN!


Nicanor Pacheco (January 1932 - November 2010)
I grew up with my father leading our nightly family prayer, when a family member leaves the house, or when someone is sick.


Location: 7210 Race Track Rd, Bowie, MD 20715, USA

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