Between Heaven and Earth

In prayer we discover more deeply who God is, who we are, and how God changes us. But what exactly is prayer? And how do we integrate prayer with our everyday lives? In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus gives us a template for conversation with God. This prayer, though brief, is surprisingly comprehensive, dealing with personal, relational, material, and spiritual matters while guiding us in knowing God more deeply. On this site, you’ll find a variety of videos, discussion questions, prayer points, and other resources related to each line of the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in Heaven

What is prayer, and how should we approach it? In this first teaching in our series on the Lord’s Prayer, Pastor Tim Chaddick preaches from Matthew 6:5-9 on the access we have to God as a loving Father because of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Discussion Questions

In verses 5-6, Jesus contrasts public, performance-driven prayer with quiet, solitary prayer. What is the difference between the two, and why does it matter in our relationship with God?
In verses 7-8, Jesus discourages wordy, repetitious prayer in favor of simple, straightforward communication. How does God’s knowledge of everything encourage honesty and openness in prayer?
In verse 9, Jesus instructs His disciples to address God as Father. How is this even possible, and how does it change the way you pray?

How Should We Approach Our Father in Heaven?

Pastor Tim Chaddick explains how addressing God as “Our Father in Heaven” shapes the way we pray.

“We must begin to believe that God, in the mystery of prayer, has entrusted us with a force that can move the Heavenly world, and can bring its power down to earth.”

Andrew Murray

Prayer Points

Reflect on your standing before God. Apart from Christ, we should be judged for our sins. But in Christ, we are made God’s beloved children.

Pray along with Martin Luther, “Implant in our hearts a comforting trust in your fatherly love.” As 1 John 3:1 says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

Pray for a greater awareness of the reality that God is a perfect Father, free of whatever flaws our earthly fathers may have.

Reflect on the fact that all those who have God as their Father also have one another as brothers and sisters (Matthew 12:50).

Because of Christ, God delights in us and rejoices over us. Consider how this truth transforms the way we relate to Him.

Pray that the Lord would give you a deeper sense of gratitude that the God of the universe invites us to call Him “Father.”

Hallowed Be Your Name »