Matthew 6:9 (NKJV) In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
The image of our Heavenly Father should be someone dear to us, loving, caring, sympathetic, and empathetic, who gives us a sense of security and warmth.
Unfortunately, our perception of the Heavenly Father can be affected by the family or environment in which we were raised, especially when we do not have a close relationship with our earthly fathers. Some of us think that God is a tyrant or merciless judge who can’t wait to punish us when we do something wrong. Others live as though God is not interested in their lives, nor do they allow God to be a Father to them, thus living like orphans in the Kingdom of God. To some, God seems impersonal because the church looks legalistic, ritualistic, and unapproachable. It is difficult to establish a close relationship with God the Father when we have a wrong perception about Him.
John 14:8-10 (NKJV) Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. ”Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority, but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
The right view of the Heavenly Father is established in the above Scripture. Jesus told Philip that if he had seen Jesus, he had seen the Father because He and the Father are one. We worship a Triune God. Jesus came to carry out the will of God, and to declare God the Heavenly Father to us. Jesus is God who became flesh and walked among us. Therefore, we can conclude that Jesus’ ministry, teaching, and preaching were fully endorsed by the Heavenly Father. Jesus did not come to condemn sinners but to save them. Neither did He kill or inflict pain on His enemies, but He chose to pray for the sinners, heal and forgive them. Jesus was sent to restore the relationship between God and man hindered by sin. He dealt with the sin issue so we can be hidden in Him.
Acts 10:38 (NKJV) How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
God, the Heavenly Father, anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and empowered Him to carry out all the good works of preaching the gospel of salvation, setting free the oppressed and demon-possessed, and healing all who came to Him. Jesus did everything good for the people when He was on earth.
Once we appreciate how Christ has portrayed the Heavenly Father to us, the moment we cry to God as our Heavenly Father, it ought to draw us into a closer and more intimate relationship with Him.
Sermon Series: Lord Teach us How to Pray (Part 1)
我们在天上的父
马太福音6:9 所以，你们祷告要这样说：‘我们在天上的父，愿人都尊你的名为圣。
天父的形象应该是一个非常爱我们、充满关怀、同情和理解的人，是一位给我们一种安全感，充满温暖的人。
不幸的是，我们对天父的看法可能会受到我们成长的家庭或环境的影响，尤其是当我们与地上的父没有亲密关系时。我们中的一些人认为 神是暴君或无情的审判官，当我们做错了事会迫不及待地来惩罚我们。有些人活得好像 神对他们的生活不感兴趣，也不允许 神成为他们的父亲，因此在上帝的国度里像孤儿一样生活。对一些人来说， 神似乎没有人情味，因为教会看起来是律法主义的、仪式主义的、不可接近的。当我们对天父有错误的看法时，很难与祂建立密切的关系。
约翰福音14:8-10 腓力对他说：“求主将父显给我们看，我们就知足了。耶稣对他说：“腓力，我与你们同在这样长久，你还不认识我吗？人看见了我，就是看见了父，你怎么说‘将父显给我们看’呢？我在父里面，父在我里面，你不信吗？我对你们所说的话，不是凭着自己说的，乃是住在我里面的父作他自己的事。
对天父的正确观点在上述经文中得到了确立。耶稣告诉腓力，如果他看见祂，就看见父，因为祂和天父是合一的。我们敬拜三位一体的 神。耶稣来是为了向我们执行 神的旨意，并向我们宣告天父 神。耶稣是道成肉身的 神，并在我们中间行走。因此，我们可以得出结论，耶稣的事工、教导和宣讲完全得到了天父的认可。耶稣不是来给罪人定罪的，而是来拯救他们的。祂也没有杀害或伤害祂的敌人，而是选择为罪人祈祷，医治并饶恕他们。耶稣被差派来恢复 因罪而被阻碍的 神与人的关系。祂处理了罪的问题，所以我们可以隐藏在祂里面。
使徒行传 10:38 神怎样以圣灵和能力膏拿撒勒人耶稣，这都是你们知道的。他周流四方，行善事，医好凡被魔鬼压制的人，因为 神与他同在。
我们的天父 神，用圣灵膏抹耶稣，并赋予祂力量行出各样善行，去传扬救恩的福音，释放被压迫者、被鬼附的人，并医治所有来到祂面前的人。耶稣在世上时为人们做了所有的好事。
一旦我们理解了基督如何向我们展示天父，在我们呼求 神为我们天父的那一刻，我们就与 神建立更紧密、更亲密的关系。
讲章系列：主啊，教我们如何祷告（第一部分）
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