JESUS AND OUR FATHER - Jesus Revolution - Bible Study

"Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy." - MATTHEW 6:9

Of all the things that Jesus could have taught His disciples about prayer, the first thing that He chose to emphasize was our personal relationship with God. He’s not a genie in a bottle to be manipulated with magic words, a spiritual force to tap into with practice, or an unapproachable deity to appease. He’s our Father.

Which one of these two realities do you lean toward in your view of God?

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How does it affect the way you treat prayer if you see God as:

Father (only): ______________________________________________________________________

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Holy (only): _______________________________________________________________________

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Both: ____________________________________________________________________________

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Place a check mark beside the words that you associate with prayer.

awkward _____ awesome______ blessing______ burden ________

confession _____ conversation _____ duty _____ delight ______

emergency _____ essential _____ mysterious _____ personal _____

powerful _____ pointless _____ relationship _____ requests _____

responsibility _____ ritual _____

It was a common practice in Jesus’ day for disciples to not only learn the teachings of a rabbi but also to pray like a rabbi. How a disciple understands the Scriptures will always impact the way they interact with God personally.

Are you more prone to spend time in Scripture, in prayer, both, or neither? What do your tendencies suggest about your relationship with God?

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Now consider how you interact, not just how often. What does the way that you interact with Scripture reveal about your view of God?

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What do your prayers reveal about your view of God?

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You may or may not have had a good earthly example of a Father. No matter what your earthly Father is like, your heavenly Father is perfect in all of His ways. Scripture uses the word “Abba” to describe your relationship with God. In biblical times, “Abba” was a term that some people translate as “Dad” or “Daddy,” revealing trust, love, and respect in the most personal way.

You have a Father in heaven. He is perfectly holy. He loves you personally. As you grow in this relationship, your life will never be the same. Prayer, then, becomes all about getting to know God, not getting something from Him.

To end, read and reflect on Romans 8:14–16. Pray that Holy Spirit would help you embrace your identity as a child of God and the relationship with God as your holy Abba, Father.

You are invited to join us every Wednesday Night for our Online Bible Study. "Jesus Revolution" at 7pm on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ccogjohnson