Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

John 17 The Great High Priestly Prayer of our Lord!

John 17:20-26 Jesus Prays for the Church!

John 17:23, “I in the sphere of them and You in the sphere of Me, in order that they may be perfected in unity (with God), so that the world (unbelievers) would know that You sent Me and You loved them (believers) even as You loved Me.”

Personal Love of God the Father toward the Believer

H. Prayer and Personal Love of God the Father Toward the Believer.

5. Prayer is a means of entering into the joy and confidence of God’s love, provision, direction, and presence, Phil 1:3-6.

a. It focuses us on the “who” and “what” of God; His person, plan, principles, promises, purposes, etc.

b. It glorifies the Father and demonstrates our desire for relationship with Him, along with obedience.

c. It brings joy (+H) and comfort to our hearts because it brings God into our focus along with His purposes.

6. We tend to begin prayer with “us” rather than with “Your”. Yet, “Father” immediately puts us in the proper frame of reference.

a. We rush into God’s presence pleading for “our” petitions, “our” needs, and “our” problems. As a result, we become problem oriented and frantic….

… rather than God and grace oriented being relaxed in His sovereignty under the Faith Rest Technique. Cf. Psa 46:10

Psa 46:10 (NASB), “Cease striving and know that I am God.” (KJV), “Be still and know that I am God.”

“Cease striving” Hebrew – RAPHAH, “sink down, slacken or relax.” Imperative Tense (a command)

The LXX Greek – SCHOLAZO: Aorist, Active, Imperative; “to cease from labor, to have rest or respite from a thing.”

A command to stop using our human power and effort, and instead faith rest in God in our prayer life.

b. The right perspective, “Our Father”, gives us a relaxed mental attitude and rest from our human good works trying to solve our problems.

7. Our Prayers are Answered from the Love of God. 1 John 3:21 ‑ 22; 5:14-15

a. We are inadequate and weak, God is the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent; able to do above all that we can ask or think. Eph 3:20

Eph 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.”

b. In His love He always cares, in His wisdom He knows what is best, and in His power He is able to do anything.

c. The more we come to understand and sense our impotence and need, the more indispensable and irresistible prayer should become to us all.

d. Persistent prayer demonstrates our knowledge and confidence in our friend and heavenly Father. Mat 7:7-11; Luke 11:5-10

1) This is a call for expectant waiting on the Lord of the faith-rest life.

The answer and revelation of what God is doing will come. Just trust in the goodness and wisdom of God.

e. The lack of an immediate answer to our prayers should never turn us away in disgust or cause fear or doubt and frustration.

Do we understand all that God is doing? No, not really. Is it easy? Not always. Is that a reason to quit or stop praying? Absolutely not!!

f. Persistent prayer demonstrates the maturity of our faith and our need of understanding God, His plan, principles, promises, and purposes.

g. It demonstrates our need of faith, of wisdom and Biblical values, and priorities along with patience and an eternal perspective. Cf. Mat 6:25-34.

h. A mature or growing faith sees and believes the promises of God, embracing them with persistence even though the answer is not immediately forthcoming. Heb 11:13, 39

i. Mature faith knows that God will answer in a better time and in a better way than we could do on our own. James 1:5-8

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, June 12, 2012 Tape # Personal Love of God the Father Towards the Believer ~ Personal Love and Prayer Great High Priestly Prayer, Part 114 John 17:23; Mat 6:25-34; Phil 1:3-6; James 1:5-8 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2012