When Jesus says, “Pray our Father…”
Understand this, our prayer life should involve our family, period. It is sad to say, but many people are praying against each other and wonder why God doesn’t answer their prayers. This is not what prayer is about.
God wants us to understand that our prayer life is connected to our relationship and our unity with one another. If we genuinely wish to have relational communication with God, it starts right here, with one another in prayer.
God wants us to be in a relationship, in unity with one another as Christ’s followers. Matthew 5:23-24 says this. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there, remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
In other words, if you’re coming before God, presenting yourself before Him, it says to leave your gift at the altar and go back to be reconciled to your family and friends. Our relationship with one another is directly connected to our relationship with God. Many of us do not understand this. If there is tension between you and someone else, if there is no unity in your family, if there is no unity in your small group, in our church…… I encourage you to understand something. Don’t expect your prayer life to be great. God wants part of your worship to prioritize pursuing unity.
A reflection of your love and relationship with God is displayed right here between you and me, between the two of us. Our spiritual relationship with the body of Christ and our family matters in our prayer life. This relationship is supposed to take us to the throne of grace.
God is looking at us, saying: “Do you love those you see right beside you? If you don’t have a relationship with them, if you can’t communicate with them, if you can’t bless them, if you can’t meet some of their needs, why do you think I would help you if you won’t help them?” It’s staggering to think about, but it’s so true. We fail to help people we know; we look right past it. We fail to forgive or to ask for forgiveness in relationships.
You see, our prayer has more power when we understand that we are not an only child, we are the family. I want to encourage you to create unity, not division. To be a bridge builder, a reconciler, and a prayer warrior for your family and for this church.
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