Dr. George Ragsdale, Pastor, West Marion Baptist Church, Ocala/Morriston, Florida 32668

Today's message is our Fifth in our Prayer Series of Six: “When We Say "Father!”, taken from Matthew 6:5-15.

So far we’ve looked at 1. Fasting and Prayer, 2. It's Time for America to Pray, 3. Mighty Prayer, and now today, 4. When We Say Father. We will finish up this series next week Lord willing with our last title, 5. "How to Pray for Friends and Influence People from Ephesians 3:11-21. You won't want to miss any of these powerful life-changing messages that will help you to answer many questions you may have been asking through the years about why God doesn't seemingly answer your prayers. Especially the urgent, desperate ones.

So today we will be looking at several verses and begin with verse 9 in Matthew Chapter 6 - 9 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

This is a very important lesson in prayer from the Master Prayer, our Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. Did you know that many people call this The Lord's Prayer, but in all actuality it is not. The Lord's Prayer is found over in John's Gospel, Chapter 17.

Jesus entered in this this discussion because the were having trouble getting results in their prayer life - they had no power and couldn't cast out a 'buck private demon' even after Jesus gave them all authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. But they had failed. So now they ask Jesus how THEY should prayer to the Father to be renewed with the power Jesus had promised.

It is important to note that Jesus didn’t give us this prayer so we would simply rattle it off or to pray it like a mantra. He also didn’t say “Pray this (exact) prayer.” He said, “After this manner...pray ye” - pray this way. This is to be a guide, a lesson in prayer. And it begins with these words, “Our Father.”

So what does it mean that we can come to God in prayer and call Him our Father? There are a lot of awesome things we will learn about our Lord's Nature in this passage. Can We Expect His Nurture and Care for Us, Will He Protect You? What About Power?. Will He, like our earthly fathers did - will He completely Forgive and Pardon us for all sins and wrongdoings?

You will learn about God's relationship to you and I, and about His duties to you and I, His Promised Provision, Companionship, and yes - even His righteous Correction and Discipline in the lives of Believers...after all, He IS your Father!

Don't miss this one. Join us to today and learn how to Receive Things of God.

http://www.westmarionbaptistchurch.com
http://www.westmarionbaptistchurch.com/sermons

You can also watch and listen to Pastor Ragsdale's sermons on Radio and TV here in Central Florida on the following stations:

COX Cable TV: WCOX-O
Channel 16 Analog & 112.5 Digital
Ocala, Fl (Marion Co)
Tues, Thurs, 9:30 AM
Fri 8:30 AM
Mon, Wed, Sat, 8 PM
Sun, 7 PM
12 Noon, 8 PM

COX Cable TV: CXLP
Channel 15 Analog & 112.4 Digital
Gainesville, Fl (Alachua Co)
Tues, Wed, Fri 9 AM
Mon, Thurs, Sat, 8 PM
Sun, 10 AM

Cox Cable TV...Video On Demand, WMBC Channel 2637

DAYSTAR Radio 89.5 FM
North Central Fl
Sun 5 AM, 12 Noon, 7 PM

CLASSIC HITS RADIO of OCALA 104.7 FM
City of Ocala
Sundays 8:30 AM

You can now watch all the sermons on any Digital Phones, IPads etc., and you can listen to every service on your Digital Phones as well...this includes Sunday School, Sunday Evening Service and the Wednesday Night Bible Study. Go to the church web site at http://www.westmarionbaptistchurch.com and you will find those services listed on the MP3 sermons page. There is no charge or cost.

New YouTube Preaching Channel!
http://www.youtube.com/CarolRagsdale

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