When one of His disciples asked how they should pray, King Jesus gave this reply: When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him! Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:5-13
Those who are reborn of the Spirit of God, make it personal as the Lord Jesus did. He had a personal relationship with His Father. Whenever the Lord Jesus spoke to His Father, He never referred to Him as God. Even John, the earthly cousin of the Lord Jesus, spoke of them as Father and Son. For He is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives Him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves His Son and has put everything into His hands. John 3:34-35
We who are citizens of the Kingdom of God are also children of the Lord God, because we have been reborn by His Governor—the Holy Spirit. When we pray or speak to the Father, we address Him as our Father. Why? Because we are children of the King. Read what ambassador John stated: See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:1-3
Religious individuals use the name God, which is who He is, and it is far from being a personal greeting. They fail to have the Spirit of the Lord God living in them. Do you recall what the Lord Jesus stated concerning the Governor—the Holy Spirit? If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will live with you forever. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. John 14:15-17 Yes, forever!
Being born again isn’t a religious expression. It is what happens when you repent, accept Jesus the Christ as your Savior and are obedient to His Word. The Holy Spirit gives you the right to be called the children of God. Remember the Lord Jesus never addressed His Father as God when speaking to Him. Even when He was anticipating the pain He must endure. He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting Him might pass Him by. “Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.” Mark 14:35-36
The word Abba, normally used by children in those days when speaking to their father, implies familiarity, a personal relationship. Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit use terms of affection when referring to the King as Father or Lord because they have a personal relationship with Him and see Him as Father and Lord. They have interactions with Him on a daily basis. They speak to Him and praise Him and come to Him when they have a need. They realize their Heavenly Father is the Creator of the heavens and earth. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2
Citizens of the Kingdom of the Lord God know that their King and Father sits on His throne and is aware of what is happening in their lives. The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright. Psalm 11:4-7 NKJV
I thank my Heavenly Father for forgiving all of my sins and disobedience to His laws and commands in my past life. I thank my Heavenly Father for my two lovely daughters and for the love and respect they have for me, which is rare in this day and age. That is all thanks to my Heavenly Father! When you have a close relationship with your children, they call you by terms of endearment such as daddy and mommy, father and mother. They almost never call their parents by their first name because it shows a lack of respect. When I religious people refer to my Father as “the man upstairs” or God, it causes me to see that they lack a close personal relationship with Him. I also realize that many aren’t filled with His Spirit which would cause them to cry out to their Abba Father. Ambassador Paul made it perfectly clear concerning the gift of the Spirit that our Father gave us.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:12-17 NKJV
When you know who you are in His Kingdom, you can walk with your head up, because you are a citizen of the Kingdom and a child of the King. Your confidence and boldness is in being a child of the Lord God! I call Him Father and even Daddy. He is the only Father I have ever known and there is none better! When I gaze up into the sky, I realize who my Father is and the power He possesses. I recall what ambassador Stephen stated to the religious leaders, reminding them what God told the prophet Isaiah. However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Could you build Me a temple as good as that?” asks the Lord. “Could you build Me such a resting place? Didn’t My hands make both heaven and earth?” Acts 7:48-50
Always remember, your faith in your Lord and King is your greatest asset in the Kingdom.
All NLT except where noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:5-13
Those who are reborn of the Spirit of God, make it personal as the Lord Jesus did. He had a personal relationship with His Father. Whenever the Lord Jesus spoke to His Father, He never referred to Him as God. Even John, the earthly cousin of the Lord Jesus, spoke of them as Father and Son. For He is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives Him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves His Son and has put everything into His hands. John 3:34-35
We who are citizens of the Kingdom of God are also children of the Lord God, because we have been reborn by His Governor—the Holy Spirit. When we pray or speak to the Father, we address Him as our Father. Why? Because we are children of the King. Read what ambassador John stated: See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:1-3
Religious individuals use the name God, which is who He is, and it is far from being a personal greeting. They fail to have the Spirit of the Lord God living in them. Do you recall what the Lord Jesus stated concerning the Governor—the Holy Spirit? If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will live with you forever. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. John 14:15-17 Yes, forever!
Being born again isn’t a religious expression. It is what happens when you repent, accept Jesus the Christ as your Savior and are obedient to His Word. The Holy Spirit gives you the right to be called the children of God. Remember the Lord Jesus never addressed His Father as God when speaking to Him. Even when He was anticipating the pain He must endure. He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting Him might pass Him by. “Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.” Mark 14:35-36
The word Abba, normally used by children in those days when speaking to their father, implies familiarity, a personal relationship. Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit use terms of affection when referring to the King as Father or Lord because they have a personal relationship with Him and see Him as Father and Lord. They have interactions with Him on a daily basis. They speak to Him and praise Him and come to Him when they have a need. They realize their Heavenly Father is the Creator of the heavens and earth. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2
Citizens of the Kingdom of the Lord God know that their King and Father sits on His throne and is aware of what is happening in their lives. The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright. Psalm 11:4-7 NKJV
I thank my Heavenly Father for forgiving all of my sins and disobedience to His laws and commands in my past life. I thank my Heavenly Father for my two lovely daughters and for the love and respect they have for me, which is rare in this day and age. That is all thanks to my Heavenly Father! When you have a close relationship with your children, they call you by terms of endearment such as daddy and mommy, father and mother. They almost never call their parents by their first name because it shows a lack of respect. When I religious people refer to my Father as “the man upstairs” or God, it causes me to see that they lack a close personal relationship with Him. I also realize that many aren’t filled with His Spirit which would cause them to cry out to their Abba Father. Ambassador Paul made it perfectly clear concerning the gift of the Spirit that our Father gave us.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:12-17 NKJV
When you know who you are in His Kingdom, you can walk with your head up, because you are a citizen of the Kingdom and a child of the King. Your confidence and boldness is in being a child of the Lord God! I call Him Father and even Daddy. He is the only Father I have ever known and there is none better! When I gaze up into the sky, I realize who my Father is and the power He possesses. I recall what ambassador Stephen stated to the religious leaders, reminding them what God told the prophet Isaiah. However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Could you build Me a temple as good as that?” asks the Lord. “Could you build Me such a resting place? Didn’t My hands make both heaven and earth?” Acts 7:48-50
Always remember, your faith in your Lord and King is your greatest asset in the Kingdom.
All NLT except where noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
