Sometimes new things are looked on with suspicion. We can trust a company that's been around a long time. And the true gospel is no new teaching - it's the same gospel that Old Testament heroes like Abraham believed | Gal 3:6-9

Praying this first will change the priorities of our prayers | Matt 6:9

Our Father in Heaven

What we think God is like will affect how we pray to him

1. Remember who you’re praying to

i. Remember that you’re praying to your Father

• We’re not naturally God’s children (John 1:12; John 8:44)

• ‘A Christian is someone who has God as their father’

• Jesus came to earth so we could be adopted into God’s family (Gal 4:5). Adoption comes first, then behavioural change

• The only person who dares wake a king up at 3am for a glass of water is his child

ii. Remember that he’s in Heaven

• God is everywhere (2 Chronicles 2:6) – but he’s present in Heaven in a special way.

• Our God is a consuming fire who we’re to worship with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28-29)

• Reverence is primarily a matter of the heart – but don’t assume that physical posture is irrelevant.

2. Remember that it’s not just you and God

Two relationships in the Lord’s Prayer: Fatherhood & Brotherhood. We’re to pray:

i. With others

• The Christians in the NT pray together all the time.

• We should pray together as a church, with our families, and with our friends. Both formally and informally.

ii. For others

• What % of our prayers are about us?

• We are told to pray for all kinds of people (1 Tim 2:1)

Our Father in Heaven

What we think God is like will affect how we pray to him

1. Remember who you’re praying to

i. Remember that you’re praying to your Father

• We’re not naturally God’s children (John 1:12; John 8:44)

• ‘A Christian is someone who has God as their father’

• Jesus came to earth so we could be adopted into God’s family (Gal 4:5). Adoption comes first, then behavioural change

• The only person who dares wake a king up at 3am for a glass of water is his child

ii. Remember that he’s in Heaven

• God is everywhere (2 Chronicles 2:6) – but he’s present in Heaven in a special way.

• Our God is a consuming fire who we’re to worship with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28-29)

• Reverence is primarily a matter of the heart – but don’t assume that physical posture is irrelevant.

2. Remember that it’s not just you and God

Two relationships in the Lord’s Prayer: Fatherhood & Brotherhood. We’re to pray:

i. With others

• The Christians in the NT pray together all the time.

• We should pray together as a church, with our families, and with our friends. Both formally and informally.

ii. For others

• What % of our prayers are about us?

• We are told to pray for all kinds of people (1 Tim 2:1)

One of the objections often raised to the idea of salvation by faith and not works is that it will lead to people living lives of sin. But actually Paul shows that it's salvation by works which will lead to sin | Gal 2:17-21

One of the objections often raised to the idea of salvation by faith and not works is that it will lead to people living lives of sin. But actually Paul shows that it's salvation by works which will lead to sin | Gal 2:17-21