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Our Father in Heaven

 Offer prayer therefore like this our Father in heaven... (Matthew 6:9)

The disciples had asked Jesus how to pray, therefore pray like this, and begins with "our Father in heaven..." The prayer continues "your name is regarded as holy" which I purposely left out not to diminish his holiness by no means but because we often focus on the reverence and holiness of God in prayer and miss that He is our Father. We offer a prayer or start praying to Him in this way. It is profound to think about God as our Father. 

and if you greet only your brothers what aro, not even the Gentiles do the same? You however be perfect like your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:47-48)

Respect and honor grow out of a loving relationship with our earthly fathers, it is not something that just comes naturally, but it is biblical training, train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it. If we do not experience this loving relationship with an earthly father it is more difficult to think of God this way. If you love your earthly father you would want to be like him, this is honor and reverence. If we love God who is perfect we would to be like him. Be mindful of his presence, when you give do not do it to be seen by others but do it for your Father, who will reward your good works. (Matthew 6:1) Do your giving in secret and your Father who sees you will reward you (Matthew 6:4). When you pray do it in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:6)

Now, when praying to not babble like the heathens for they think they will be heard for using many words, do not be like them for your Father knows what you need before you ask (Matthew 6:8) 

Your Father knows what you need and what His will is for you. In fact, we often do not receive because we ask in vain for our own satisfaction. When it comes to prayer we often hear of George Mueller. I read recently in "Answer to Prayer" he never asked anyone for money, he always prayed to God, and if it was God's will he receive what he needed.* In the front section "How to ascertain God's will" providential circumstances was one way Mueller used to discern that it was God's will if God provided and without him having to ask anyone. This is how he founded the orphanage, he prayed and someone came to him, we think God wants us to start an orphanage and here we can fund it. It is amazing to me of such faith. Paul was a tentmaker who provided for his own ministry, by working with his own hands, he writes it was a hardship he took on to set an example so that others work hard and so not to be a cause of stumbling to others (Acts 18:3; Acts 20:34; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 9:12-23; 2 Corinthians 11:7; 2 Corinthians 12:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:8). To me Paul is saying yes, I have the right but I do not take it because I want more people to know Jesus. If only 10% goes to help orphans because I and others live off the rest, why not support my own ministry so 100% of that given goes to help orphans or spread the gospel. Doing ministry as Paul did, I find that amazing. 

look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father provides for them. Are you not more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26)

Do I need to sow to reap earthly needs? Not according to Jesus. He provides for us because God is our heavenly Father and we are his children who are valuable to him. Even evil men know how to give good things to their children, how much more will our heavenly Father give us good things (Matthew 7:11). The issue though is often how we define "good things." God is working out all things according to our good. What good? He chose us in Christ before he created the world to be holy, blameless in his presence, in love, predestining us for adoption as his own, so to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:4-5). This transformation, being conformed to the image of Christ is what God purposed and planned in Christ. Paul writes he experienced the life of Christ through being conformed to his death, having fellowship in his suffering. This narrow path to life few find. We have encouragement as sons in suffering and discipline because we are sharing in His holiness, becoming partakers of His divine nature, becoming like our heavenly Father. Like any father would be glorified when a son becomes like him in character, so it is with our heavenly Father, he is glorified when we become like him. This is the fruit that glorifies God, which is being fulfilled by being disicples of Jesus.

therefore do not be anxious saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink? or what shall we wear? for the Gentiles pursue all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. (Matthew 6:31-32)

Could we give away all of our earthly wealth and follow Jesus if he asked? Could we have such faith to live day by day or our drink, food, and clothing? What kind of faith would that look like? Certainly, an earthly perspective would see it as foolish. I am maximizing my earthly profit, overlooking the heavenly one. Like a flower that fades away so is the rich man pursuing his business, James writes. Depend on your heavenly Father for your daily provision, what kind of faith would that take?  To not be anxious? Well, our heavenly Father knows we need them all. Is it not the same thing, that if we seek first his kingdom and righteousness that all things will be added? 

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father" (Matthew 10:29)

Over and over again we see Jesus getting this point across, his Father is our Father. We have a heavenly Father who cares for us. Jesus wants us to relate to God as our heavenly Father. “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and · earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and clever and revealed them to little children;" (Matthew 11:25) Is not his life and freedom but to live in such trust of our Father's provision that we worry about nothing, not even death? We only have one Father lie this and he is in heaven. It is the Father who reveals the Sn to us, it is not the Father's will that none of his would perish (Matthew 18:14). No one can snatch us out of our Father's hand. Blessed be our Father who has blessed us in Christ with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, even as he chose us before the foundation of the world, and has blessed us since the foundation of the world, preparing for us an inheritance. (Ephesians 1:3-4; Matthew 25:34). "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never turn away" (John 6:37). 

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading back to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. By him, we cry out, “Abba! · Father!” (Romans 8:15)

"And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who cries out “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," (1 Peter 1:3). "See what great love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God—and so we are!" (1 John 3:1). Because of Christ, we have bold access and confidence before God as our heavenly Father (Ephesians 3:12).

He is our Father, and we have the testimony of His Spirit, testifying we are his children. Paul writes our Father of glory wants to give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation so we come to know more of him. (Ephesians 1:17). We give thanks to our Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light (Colossians 1:12). In all that we do, we do everything in the name of Jesus giving thanks to our Father through him (Colossians 1:12). Let us not miss this; God is our heavenly Father. May we know God as our heavenly Father, "to our God and Father be glory for all time" (Philippians 4:20).  

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