Jesus Christ is your savior, my savior, and the savior of all mankind!
So how do we talk to him?
Matthew 6:5-15 (WEB) says,
5) When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6) But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7) In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. 8) Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him. 9) Pray like this: "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10) Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11) Give us today our daily bread. 12) Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 13) Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen." 14) For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15) But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
God is our loving Heavenly Father and he wants us to talk with him, heart to heart. He wants no facades or religion, but person to person conversation. More than that, he knows us and our needs better than we know ourselves. The point is that we should have great confidence that our conversation with him will never be misunderstood. If there is any concern at all, the concern is that we are not being honest with ourselves. The cure for our hypocrisy is the solemn reminder that we need to forgive others and that we are fully dependent upon God for our forgiveness.
John 14:11-14 (WEB) says,
11) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake. 12) Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father. 13) Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14) If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.
Wow! God is listening to our prayers and he will answer them! While some have earthly dads with resources to buy them cars and college, we all have a Heavenly dad with infinite resources available for our care. However, we should be reminded that God's goal for our lives is that we would grow to share in his character. God does always answer our prayers, but sometimes the answer is "no", as seen in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9.
Romans 8:26-27 (WEB),
26) In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. 27) He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
Wow that is even more amazing! Ever felt like you do not even know how or what to pray? This is a very common problem because the truth is that we all find ourselves in situations where we have no idea what the solution could be. Sin has broken and twisted our lives beyond repair. We should keep praying nonetheless because, if we are Christians, the Holy Spirit is living inside of us and he will lead our prayers.
John 16:23-28 (WEB) says,
23) In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24) Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full. 25) I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26) In that day you will ask in my name; and I don’t say to you that I will pray to the Father for you, 27) for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God. 28) I came from the Father, and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
Jesus wants to make our Heavenly Father known to us. Though the Bible may be hard to understand at times, God's purpose is not to be obscure. Instead he has revealed himself to us and plans to do so more and more. Why does he keep us in suspense and why is he taking so long? I don't know. Perhaps our finite minds can only be opened to the infinite God in small increments. Perhaps our sin and need for repentance slows down the progress to see God face to face. Take heart! Jesus is praying for us and working to reveal our good Heavenly Father to us.
Prayer to Jesus and our Heavenly Father is critical to help us get to know God and understand his good purposes for all mankind. Talk to Jesus!
