Christian Conversion: Part 3
In the final segment on Christian conversion, I wanted to move from the internal changes to privileges God gives us when we become His children. Last time we talked about the hunger for the Word of God that resides in the heart of every believer. By acting on that hunger we read the Word and grow by application of Scripture. That is how God talks to us. In our final segment we're going to talk about the privilege of prayer. What is prayer? Prayer is basically asking and receiving from God. However, prayer is not just seeing God as a means to an end. It is our means of communicating with our Father in heaven. Prayer allows us to spend actual, and intimate, time with our Father.
When we were born again, God became our Father, and we became His children. John 1:12-13 says,
But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
That means that because we are now in the family of God we have some real special privileges as sons and daughters. Paul said in Galatians 4:6 that by believing on Christ as Savior we are adopted into the family of God and given all the privileges of family membership, namely, the right to call God ABBA or daddy! Think of that for one minute! Your Father in heaven is available to you as your ABBA or daddy. That should put a whole different perspective on prayer. Prayer then is the birthright privilege of every believer and flows from the natural relationship between a father and His child.
Secondly, Why Should I Pray? This is best seen from the standpoint of a parent and child. It was not until I had children and became a parent that I saw the beautiful simplicity of prayer. When my first baby girl was able to ask me for something, I was thrilled to provide for her as her dad. I don't know if anything thrills a parent more than being able to meet the legitimate needs of our children. In fact, God uses this precise analogy to encourage us to ask and receive from God. Luke 11:11,
What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
Luke's point is very simple. If parents give their children what they need, how much more will our Heavenly Father supply our true physical and spiritual needs? In fact, I have discovered time and again that God knows better than I do what I actually need as opposed to what I think that need is. Many of my prayers have had to change their focus before God was able to actually supply my true need!
Having been orphaned when I was ten years old, I hungered for the love of my earthly father who died when I was six. My memories of him fortunately are wholesome and loving, with him meeting my childhood needs. Unfortunately, that hunger I later felt as an orphan could not be filled by others, but the day I trusted Christ as Savior I was introduced to my Heavenly Father. It was not until I realized how intimate my ABBA actually was that I was really able to thank God for my former orphan status. I know far too many Christians who struggle accepting God's Fatherhood in their lives because of an absentee or abusive dad in their childhood. In that regard I consider myself blessed.
Therefore I can and should pray because:
1. Because it is natural for a child to talk to Dad.
2. Because I need to thank God for all He does for me.
3. Because I need to confess my sin and failure to him.
4. Because I need to ask him to supply my special needs.
Let me end this short series on conversion by encouraging our readers to pray! It is your inherent right to pray as a believer, and God is waiting for each of us to come into His presence to pray and receive from Him! Don't take your privilege to pray for granted!
When we were born again, God became our Father, and we became His children. John 1:12-13 says,
But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
That means that because we are now in the family of God we have some real special privileges as sons and daughters. Paul said in Galatians 4:6 that by believing on Christ as Savior we are adopted into the family of God and given all the privileges of family membership, namely, the right to call God ABBA or daddy! Think of that for one minute! Your Father in heaven is available to you as your ABBA or daddy. That should put a whole different perspective on prayer. Prayer then is the birthright privilege of every believer and flows from the natural relationship between a father and His child.
Secondly, Why Should I Pray? This is best seen from the standpoint of a parent and child. It was not until I had children and became a parent that I saw the beautiful simplicity of prayer. When my first baby girl was able to ask me for something, I was thrilled to provide for her as her dad. I don't know if anything thrills a parent more than being able to meet the legitimate needs of our children. In fact, God uses this precise analogy to encourage us to ask and receive from God. Luke 11:11,
What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
Luke's point is very simple. If parents give their children what they need, how much more will our Heavenly Father supply our true physical and spiritual needs? In fact, I have discovered time and again that God knows better than I do what I actually need as opposed to what I think that need is. Many of my prayers have had to change their focus before God was able to actually supply my true need!
Having been orphaned when I was ten years old, I hungered for the love of my earthly father who died when I was six. My memories of him fortunately are wholesome and loving, with him meeting my childhood needs. Unfortunately, that hunger I later felt as an orphan could not be filled by others, but the day I trusted Christ as Savior I was introduced to my Heavenly Father. It was not until I realized how intimate my ABBA actually was that I was really able to thank God for my former orphan status. I know far too many Christians who struggle accepting God's Fatherhood in their lives because of an absentee or abusive dad in their childhood. In that regard I consider myself blessed.
Therefore I can and should pray because:
1. Because it is natural for a child to talk to Dad.
2. Because I need to thank God for all He does for me.
3. Because I need to confess my sin and failure to him.
4. Because I need to ask him to supply my special needs.
Let me end this short series on conversion by encouraging our readers to pray! It is your inherent right to pray as a believer, and God is waiting for each of us to come into His presence to pray and receive from Him! Don't take your privilege to pray for granted!
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