HOW TO PRAY AS A CHILD TO THE FATHER Introduction: In Matthew 5:8

see God. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will

Who are those pure in heart? Children. In Matthew 18:3 And he said, I tell you the truth unless you
change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

It doesnt mean that we should be in our mothers womb again and be born again and be a child again in the physical form. But of what it is in a child or an attitude of that of a child that we should be like them. One of their attributes as stated in Matthew 5:8, they are pure in heart (may malinis na puso)..wala pang kamalayan sa mga kamunduhan , sa kahalayan. They were like Adam and Eve before they committed sin.. have you ever watched a child pray? What are they praying about? How do they pray? Example my own children...The Lord rebuked me and reminded me of Matthew 19:14 LUKE 11: 1 13....
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Let the little children come to me, and

do not hinder them, for the kindom of heaven belongs to such as these.

LUKE 5:13

Then he said to them, Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him. Then the one inside answers, Dont bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I cant get up and give you anything. 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the mans boldness[a] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
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So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
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Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
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BOLDNESS

fearless and daring; courageous.

- the quality of standing out strongly and distinctly. His request is not actually with force but with confidence.. He is confident that his friend will not let him down. His request will be granted. It is specified in verse 11 how a Father grants a request for his child and he provides for his child. Likewise in this text in verse 5 8, we will know how a child asks something to His Father. That will be our main topic for tonight. So Jesus teaches us that we pray as a child to a beloved Father. What does it mean to pray as a child to the Father? How do we pray as a child to the father? I believe that the answer is very clear when we compare a childish request with a child-like request.

A.
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Childish Prayers self focus

James 4:3

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

What is a childish request?

I want that toy. I want this and if Some adults in their

you dont do it, then you dont love me.

60s are still addicted to Childish approaches. Childish behavior sees the parent as someone to manipulate to get what they want. This is exactly what many people want God for. They want to

somehow learn how to manipulate Him so that they can get the goods. Thats what all those false views of prayer to God have in common. IF God doesnt deliver what they want, they give up on Him. They view God like Aladdin & his lamp. By rubbing the lamp, a genie came out and said, what is your wish my master? Believe me, God is not our servant.

There are many people who are distraught, depressed, and disillusioned because they are looking at God with a childish view they prayed childish prayers.

* I prayed for a husband and I have no husband ask and it will be given to you God out the window. *I prayed for a normal child and my son was born with deformed hands God is not worthy of my praise. But there is probably no greater area that people are praying childish prayers than that of healing today. God heals and we have seen it. We pray for someones healing because we know But there is that God is able to do more than we think or ask. will ever die.

no biblical mandate that He will heal every person and no one Ex. Is Simon the Sorcerer.....own experience in a man who has one leg...... Lumban, Laguna

You can tell a childish prayer by our reaction when we dont get what we asked for. We throw a temper tantrum. We get mad at God, we say He isnt fair, we lash out at church leaders. OR we seek out false teachings that tell us what we want to hear & sin to get what we want now.... Reminder that i am not judging other people but it is the message of God and Gods words are true... Childishness is demanding that God does what WE want. JAMES 4:2-3 says, You do not have because you do not ask (that is you dont pray at all). When you ask (that is when As

you pray), you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.(kalayawan)

Have you gotten upset at God lately its a sign of a childish attitude, not a child-like one. Now God is not going to zap you He graciously allows us to get this out in the open. God already knows what you are thinking. But neither will your prayer be answered God will not be manipulated. Life is very empty (Walang saysay o kabuluhan) when we have a childish attitude towards God and prayer.

B.
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Childlikeness trust

Hebrews 5:7-8

During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered
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So what attitude should we have? We want to pray child-like prayers. We pray as a child to the father. Childishness manipulates, but childlikeness trusts. When we surrender our lives to follow Jesus Christ alone, we become God the Fathers child. We move to the place of trust and assurance. If we think of

Aladdin and the lamp, it is us who should say yes my master, what is your wish because we start to learn that Gods purposes and desires are always perfect.

How do we make child-like requests?

young kids who have a good relationship with their father, ask whatever is on their heart. They are very open and honest. (BOLDNESS) They dont worry about saying the wrong thing they arent trying to manipulate. They just ask openly and honestly. They trust the parents can do great things and they also know the parents wont do anything that would harm them. Jesus says we can pray openly and honestly to our Heavenly Father. That is how Jesus prayed. At the garden of Gethsemane, In

a). ASK WHATEVER IS ON YOUR HEART. Kids, especially

Mark 14: 36,

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Abba, Father, he said, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from
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me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.

Jesus prayed that His Father to

come up with some other way so He didnt have to die on the cross for our sins. Intellectually, how could Jesus pray that, since He Himself taught for three years that was the reason He came to earth Jesus prayed to change something He Himself had

decided since the foundation of the world thats praying like a child! You dont have to figure out the exact words to say, you dont have to decide if your request is even possible because God will not answer in a way that will harm His children or His bigger plan. (Go back to Main verse Luke 11:11) b).TRUST THE FATHERS PLAN AND HIS ANSWER. A child is not afraid to ask why? Some of you remember the time wanted to know. Even if the child doesnt totally understand, they still trust the parents answer. Thats why Jesus said after His request in the garden of Gethsemane not my will, but Your will be done. God knows whats best and we trust His answer even when it is different than we expect. You can tell a childlike prayer because when the answer is different, we accept that as from our loving Fathers Hand. Hebrews 5:7-8 ,actually says Jesus prayer in the garden of Gethsemane was heard but Jesus still went to the cross. He trusted the Fathers plan and His answer.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus became the greatest example on how to pray a childlike prayer.
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your kids or brothers and sisters asked that endlessly. They really

Even if He is the Lord he humbles himself...Matthew 18:4

Approach God freely in Jesus as a humble follower. We submit ourselves to God as a child to His Father. Honestly and openly you dont know what to say. It doesnt matter how small or outrageous the request. In Philippians 4:6-7
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share your heart request whether it is angry, sad, overwhelmed or

Do not be anxious

about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If in the start of your prayer or conversation

to God, you feel discouraged and heavily burdened or you feel empty inside, just say what you want to say like Jeremiah, the weeping prophet and Job...they talk to God openly what they feel then Gods peace will be in you as you enter His rest. Then trust Gods answer. He alone can see the future. He does know what is best for the long run.

In the Parable of the Lost Son Luke 15:11-32... we

can see the attitude of the son towards his father. He believed in his heart that no matter what the consequence he might face, still he went to the father and He knows he did something wrong and admitted his mistakes.

ask to accept him again, he humbles himself by saying that even if his father would treat him ad one of his servants, still he came boldly to his father because he knows that he still love him and he is his son. Then his Father didnt even reminisce the past and did not get mad at him but he was so loving that he accepted and took care of him....( Ex. My life as a parent to my children)
( Only the children of God can call God, "Father." Therefore prayer,

other than for salvation, is really only for believers in Jesus Christ, who are the ligitimate children of God. Mark 3:35 Whoever does Gods will is my brother, and sister and mother. - Prayer is to be addressed to God, using the term "Father," - Jesus is the One through whom we receive things from the Father. we go in order to have access to

- Jesus is the One through whom the Father.

- The Holy Spirit is the One through whom we have the power to the Father.

communicate with

- "Father" is a term of honor, reverence and relationship. - Addressing God as "Father" demonstrates our attitude toward God

as one of honor,

with God as one of His children.

respect and trust and our understanding of the relationship we have

- When we talk with God as our Father, it is to come to God as His child and talk with Him as such. concerned about us and - To pray to God as our Father is recognizing that He is intimately as a Father who has the heart of a father. give/answer, than we are to receive. - We must come in confidence , knowing God is much more ready to - He carries our load, our burdens in life.)
WHY WE SHOULD TRUST GOD? My God is right here all the time. My God loves me unconditionally. My God will listen to me. He will help me. He will hear me. He will give me peace. He will solve my problems. He keeps His promises.

we can be frank as a child, resting inGod

Those that have received Him, are no longer under the law.

Galatians 4:6-7
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Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls
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out, Abba, Father. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

We should be bold in prayer; we should also develop a respectful familiarity. Be precise in your prayers. Who are you praying to? Is that Who Jesus prayed to? Is that Who Jesus taught you to pray to? Is that Who the Holy Spirit prays to when you havent the words? Jesus is our Savior and brother, but God is our Abba, Father who sent our Savior. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and dwells in us, but God sent Him to us. God the Father directs the workings of the trinity and we should bring our petitions to Him. And we can!!! Not as a petitioner before a court or board; not as a citizen before a king; not as a servant before his lord; not as a friend to another able friend; not as a brother to a willing brother; not as a customer to a responsible provider; but as a son to a father.