We are one church. We love God, love people, love
His mission, and love His church.
Welcome to the One Church Podcast.
We're starting 2026 by looking at the most important words ever
spoken, the words of Jesus. And in this series, Jesus said
his words are going to shape us. They're going to change us,
they're going to grow us, they're going to help us, and we
want to let him speak into our house.
And we begin today by looking at some of the words Jesus said
about prayer. What a better place to start
than this. So good.
And here we are in Matthew chapter 6.
This then is how you should pray.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today Our Daily Bread and forgive us our sins, as we
forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever
and ever. Amen.
Prayer is to be a delight for Jesus followers.
It's a connection between you and the God who created
everything. I was listening to how many
galaxies there are, how many galaxies that we can see, and
yet all the galaxies that exist outside.
The God who holds all that together wants a connection with
you to talk to you and for you to talk to Him.
It's this open door for us to communicate to one another.
The One who loves you the most invites you to a safe place so
he can talk to you and so you can talk back to him.
Prayer changes things. Prayer is never wasted time.
Many things are wasted time. They really are.
But prayer is never wasted time. And prayer sows seeds that are
always remembered. And here in Matthew's Gospel,
Jesus reveals to us the Father's pattern of prayer.
I don't think it's the only pattern.
I think there are many patterns. But here is a pattern that is so
helpful to help us to pray. And I think if you outwork this
pattern that I'm going to look at briefly here, it'll change
your life because connection with the Father in prayer can be
and should be and could be and will be, if you take that step,
the most precious moments of your life, the rhythm of this
can help you get closer to Him. So I want to encourage you.
I'm going to give you 7 statements.
I want to encourage you to make a note of all of them and to
practise it in prayer. I did this this morning.
I found it so powerful in my own devotions.
So write these 7 phrases down. The first one is this, the
Father's presence, our Father in heaven, our Father in heaven.
This is so personal and so powerful because God could have
revealed himself to you in many ways.
He could have come as a dictator, He could have come as
Lord commanding you, but here rather he came as a father.
My natural father was Peter Hind.
He was a lovely man, a teacher, a lover of books and he read 3
or 4 books every week of as long as I knew him and he carried a
wonderful bass voice. If he was in this room you would
hear him singing. He was a follower of Jesus and
if he was alive today, this year he would have been 100 years
old, my dad, and he's now in heaven.
I'm grateful for him and what he brought to my life.
But as a Jesus follower, God the perfect Father has become my
heavenly Father. And it's true of you if you know
Jesus, the perfect Father without blemish, who never
disappoints. And as we come to communicate to
him, he's near. His presence is near.
And the Father's pattern for prayer stops in his presence.
Our Father in heaven, we are to be still in his presence, to
stop, to stop. Do you find that your thoughts?
Do you find sometimes when you stop to pray, it's like there is
a merry go round going on in your head?
So many thoughts. The things that I can remember
that I've forgotten to do when I stop to pray is utterly amazing.
In fact, if you've forgotten anything and you need to
remember, just stop to pray. It'll come back to mind as a
distraction. Write it down and keep going.
We are to be still. We come before our Daddy in the
heavens and we pause and we welcome His presence.
And you know you can do that anytime.
You can be sat at your desk at work.
You can be waiting in a queue at the checkout.
You can be in front of your classroom.
You can be sat with your friends taking a lesson.
You can just stop and go. Our Father, my Father in heaven,
why don't you just do that? Now?
If it helps you to close your eyes, just do that and pause and
stop and just say quietly, My Father in heaven, our Father in
heaven. This is the Father's pattern for
prayer. Write this down the second
phrase, the Father's praise, hallowed, hallowed, be your
name. It means to give Him first the
unique place that He deserves unconditional praise.
We can speak praise. We can sing praise.
We can shout praise. We can think praise.
We can write praise. We can read a Psalm of praise.
In it all we give thanks. Praise to give thanks.
You know, a thankful heart is a praising heart.
A thankful heart is a contented heart.
It's a blessed heart. It's another centred heart.
A thankful heart is a compelling heart in others.
When you meet them, you can tell if someone's thankful, usually
in the first two or three minutes, because if they aren't,
they'll tell you something that's wrong.
They'll tell you something that's they're not happy with
all that. It's difficult, but someone
who's thankful, it just comes out of them.
Every year there are two newsletters I love from two of
the most senior people in our church.
And I read that I look forward to their newsletters.
And it comes in the first one from this lady, full of her
thanks for Jesus, full of her thanks for salvation, full of
her thanks for another year, full of her thanks in life.
And then I read the other one from a gentleman who's the
oldest man in our church. And he said this and talking
about the sight he's in, he said the highlight of every week of
my life is going to. And he names one of our sites
and being part of the worship there.
I just, I just thank for hearts. I love it.
Set your heart to praise him and to be thankful.
Honestly, say thank you for 10 things.
You'll feel better. You will grumble about 10.
You won't. We all have nothing to complain
about and everything to be grateful for.
Last year in your life, look what the Lord did.
Last year in this house, look what the Lord did.
The Father's pattern for prayer starts with praise.
Why don't you do it now? Think in your head.
Let some thought of thought come into your mind.
Hallowed be your name. Think it, speak it out loud.
Hallowed be your name, Say it now, be thankful, Hallowed be
your name. This is the Father's pattern for
prayer, the Father's presence, the Father's praise.
Thirdly, the Father's power. Your Kingdom come, your will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.
Other times when you don't know what to do, when you've got no
answers. We were very well planned for
our New Year's Eve celebration this year because the previous
year took us a little bit by surprise with how many people
came. So this year you had to book in,
you had to reserve a ticket. I was amazed how many of you
didn't reserve a ticket but still turned up.
Hopefully next year you'll realise that we'll say you can't
come in. But we managed to squeeze
everyone into this hall and I felt so much more contented
because it was not chaos. We were could breathe and meet
with him. But sometimes, other times, when
you don't know what to do, this truth is a gift to heaven for
us. It invites His authority who He
is. Remember who He is, all the
galaxies to invite His authority into every moment of my life.
It reminds us that He's in charge.
Whatever's happening, He has all the answers, and He always has
the final say to pray like this. The Father's power invites His
authority and His Kingdom into every situation that we face.
We can get wisdom from a doctor, advice from a pastor, help from
a friend. We can get information from the
from Google, but authority from God in that situation is more
significant. Alongside all of those is more
significant here on earth as it is in heaven.
Our lives can be cluttered, can't they?
They can feel foggy, unclear moments of what's this left
field things that happen. And then we look at our world as
we start this year. We see again sadness and
brokenness and disaster and conflict.
Never forget above this realm that we live in the spiritual
pressure above it. Above it He lives and everything
is alright and secure and serene.
And one day we will be with him in that realm.
And we are praying that that realm will come to this realm.
To pray like this brings the fullness of who He is into your
situation. And it starts with us, Lord, I
invite you, Father, to be Lord of me, Your Kingdom come in me.
And then it's my family, my children, grandchildren, if
we're married, our husbands, our wives, it's to invite His rule
in them and over them. And then our street, your
church. I invite you and all that you
are into every part of this house situations you're facing.
I invite your rule into every situation.
You have the last words. And for our city, we're inviting
his name and His rule and His will into Leicester and
Loughborough and beyond that he would get the glory.
Why don't you do that right now? Think of your life, pause, think
your mind, your health, your well-being.
Just say over yourself, your Kingdom come, your will be done,
do it now. Think of your family, some of
your hearts are aching just thinking.
Just speak these words, The Father's power, your Kingdom
come, your will be done over my family.
Go and do it now. Your street come picture your
neighbours, your Kingdom come, your will be done.
May this be the year my neighbours come to Christ, the
church, every situation. This is the Father's pattern for
prayer. Write this one down.
The Father's provision. Give us today Our Daily Bread.
All of us in the room are different.
Ones of us receive income from a job or benefits or grants or
pension income or gifts or resources.
But He is our source to thank Him for every part of your life
and go through every moment trusting Him and giving Him your
needs. There is a difference between
our wants and our needs. Occasionally God loves us so
much that our wants become a reality, but not always.
And that's all right. The Bible is so powerful to
quote for the provision of everything you need for food.
He's your sustainer, Don't worry, saying what shall we eat,
What shall we drink, what shall we wear?
Oh, how many of us spend time with that when you're fasting
and when we fast, we're not. We don't go in our little gym at
home. I can't believe how much time we
have because we spend a lot of time.
Susan says she spends a lot of time preparing menus.
I'm so grateful that she's the cook in our house, preparing
menus, shopping for menus, eating the food, doing the
exercise. You've all of a sudden got all
this time now. I know you say our children are
not at home anymore, so I just want to acknowledge that because
my son says, you know, it's all right for you.
I've cooked three meals today Dad, whilst you're fasting, so I
have to remember that. But seek for us the Kingdom and
his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well. Provision, the Father's
provision in finance. Honour the Lord with your
wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops, and then your
barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will
bring over with new wine. With all the wisdom you need, my
son, don't let wisdom and understanding out of your sight.
Preserve judgement, discretion. They will be life to you.
Courage. Have I not commanded you?
It's your boldness. Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged.
This is his provision. He's with you wherever you go.
The grace you need, the patience you need.
He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power
is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I boast.
Wow, almost gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's
power may rest in you. What about the love you need the
Father's provision. The Lord appeared to us in the
past and said I've loved you with an everlasting love.
I've drawn you. I love this with unfailing
kindness, the unfailing kindness of God to you.
People want to make God out to be mean and a dictator and
distance, but He is unfailing in His kindness towards you,
constant kindness. What about guidance, the map for
your life, the provision you need?
Turn to the left, turn to the right.
You'll hear a voice behind you saying this is the way.
Walk in it. He gives us Our Daily Bread.
Share it with others every day. Carry this bread.
Just pause for a moment because there'll be one of those phrases
I've said that's very paramount in your life, and just say this
thank you that you will give me today, my daily bread, my daily
bread, my daily bread. I trust you for everything.
This is the Father's pattern for prayer.
I love this, the Father's pardon, who forgives all our
sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Confession is so important. Many of us are in danger at
times of cursing ourselves by our confession.
I'm useless, I'm rubbish. I should have, should have,
should have. I love the phrase an old nun
wrote in a picture above her bed that just said this today.
I will not should on myself. I like that.
Do you catch? I should have, I should have.
That's just living in next time I will but thank you that you
love me in the middle of it anyway.
Confession over yourself. Stop confessing negativity over
yourself. I am loved.
I am beautiful in his sight and the right me that he's made and
he has a plan for me. But here he says the Father's
pardon to confess your sins within that a charismatic
stream. We're not always very good at at
confession. We've pulled a long way away
from sitting with the priest in a box next to us and and
confessing our sins. But there's some principles in
that which we miss out because confessing our sins is
important. Forgive us our sins, confession
a daily journey. And sometimes there is a need to
confess your sins to another because you need the help and
the accountability to not just keep saying sorry, but to change
and remember this. There's nothing in your life, no
hidden addiction, no no, no secret thing in your life, no
habit pattern that you can't be free of.
In the name of Jesus, remember there's nothing, nothing that
can hold you that you can't get free of this year.
But we confess, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin
against us. We choose to release mercy to
anyone who's hurt us. I just sat and thought about
that this morning. I could not think of anyone this
morning. Maybe by tonight there'll be
somebody. But there was, there was nobody
this morning. I thought, Lord, that's a great
start to a year. Release Mercy to those who've
hurt you, a gift they may not deserve, but you received a gift
you didn't deserve. Release and now refuse to carry
the weight of that pain because you're never defined by what has
happened to you or by what your family was or the mistakes
others made around you. You are defined by His grace and
kindness and forgiveness over your life.
That's the grace of the gospel. How do we do some work now?
Is there a sin you just need to quietly confess to the Lord?
Do it now because His grace is in this room.
Is there someone you need to forgive?
Did someone upset you over Christmas?
Was a brother or sister unnecessarily antagonistic?
Go on, give them a gift they may not deserve.
Forgive them because they sue your brother and sister.
This is the Father's pattern for prayer.
These are Jesus words, the Father's protection.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil. 1 Does
this mean we'll never face temptation?
It does not. It doesn't.
Wouldn't it be great? It'd be great if certain things,
when you, Lord, come into my life and all of a sudden that
you were never tempted with anything ever again.
It'd be wonderful, but it is not going to happen.
But here's the promise from God that when you attempted, when
you attempted, He's faithful and He will provide a way out so
that you can endure it. Every time you are tempted, He
gives you a way out. It's a choice every time.
Sometimes you have to run. Sometimes you have to shout that
you're not going to do something.
Sometimes you decide, but there's always a way out.
When we face challenges, He's with us.
I love this. You know, people write the
gospel. You know, it's all lovely.
It's all delight. It's all just Jesus and love.
But the Bible says this. When you pass through the
waters, I'll be with you. When you pass through the rivers
that won't sweep over you, when you walk through the fire, you
won't be burned, for I am with you.
We face suffering. Paul writes this.
It has been granted to you. Thank you on behalf of Christ,
not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him.
I don't like that part of the Bible.
You say we face suffering, but listen, He walks with us in it,
in it all, the Father's pattern encourages us to ask for and
receive protection from the evil one, to ask for and receive
protection from our own failings, and to ask for and
receive strength to resist temptation.
We're invited this morning, this beautiful invitation from the
Father to hide in him, to put on his armour and take our stand
right now. Invite his protection.
Some of us, in this first gathering, our minds have been
going where they shouldn't right now.
You're going to bring them back in line.
We have the mind of Christ. This is the Bible.
Invite His protection over your mind.
We do not have to make the mistakes our friends have made.
We do not need to fear hereditary sickness coming down
to us. Perhaps you had a loved one die
young. That doesn't mean that is the
definition of your life. Invite His protection and do
this. Just appropriate the power of
the blood of Jesus over your life.
In fact, why not say those words?
I appropriate the protection of the blood of Jesus over my life.
This is the Father's pattern of prayer.
Let's go through these points really quickly here.
Firstly, the Father's presence, our Father in heaven.
Let's say that together. The Father's presence, come on,
the Father's presence, our Father in heaven.
Next, the Father's praise, hallowed be your name.
Next, the Father's power, your Kingdom come, Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. Next, Father's provision, give
us today Our Daily Bread. Next, Father's pardon, forgive
us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Next, Father's protection and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from the evil. Honestly, tomorrow morning, get
out of bed 10 minutes early than you have been doing.
Set your alarm a bit earlier. Sometimes our alarm goes off.
I wonder why on earth is happening in my life and you can
only snooze it 12 times before you're late.
Get up, open a Psalm of thanks and then pray.
Through this I invite your presence, Father, I hallow your
name and praise you. I invite your power into every
area of my life. Thank You that you'll provide
all I need through your daily bread.
Forgive me for my sin. I release again those who've
hurt me and protect me and my family, leading us not into
temptation, delivering us from the evil. 1 and lastly, the
Father's purpose for yours. This is in the footnote of many
Bibles, but it's in the prayer that we pray so often for yours.
Yours is the Kingdom and yours is the power, and yours is the
glory. Forever and ever.
Gone say those 3 words when I get there with a bit of bit of
energy. For yours is the, the and the
forever and ever. Amen.
His Lordship, His power, His glory to be demonstrated in us.
In Luke's Gospel, Jesus said it like this.
He says this is how you should pray.
This is how you should pray. Give this a go and I guarantee
your life will change because it's Jesus words.
Let's say the Lord's Prayer together.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your
Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day Our Daily Bread, and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever
and ever. Amen.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine
upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face towards
you and give you peace.