Approaching GodMt. Pleasant United Methodist Church

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“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 debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:5-15 (NIV)

How do YouApproach God?

Att itudea settled way of thinking or feeling about someone,

typically reflected in a person's behavior.

Key QuestionWhy do you think your prayers will be heard?

The PAGAN Way of PrayerThey think they will be heard BECAUSE of their many words

The PAGAN Way of Prayer

Business Model response based on what I do for you

The CHRISTIAN Way of Prayer

“Your FATHER knows what you needbefore you ask him.”

The CHRISTIAN Way of Prayer

Family Model response based on who I Am To You

Which are you?Business or Family

The RESPONSE to PrayerHow do you respond when your prayers aren’t answered?

BUSINESS Mentality – performance based

Angry – God is not coming through as expected, renter

Despair – I must be a bad person to be rejected like this

FAMILY Mentality – being based

Special – warm, intimate, personal, familial

Confident – trusting, accepting, humble

“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his

name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born

of God.” John 1:11-13 (NIV)

But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve

your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:18

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his

will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

Father…Master….

Father…

Holy CommunionMt. Pleasant United Methodist Church

Merciful God, although You made all people in your image, we confess that we live with deep divisions. Although you sent Jesus to be savior of the world, we confess that we treat him as our own servant to fulfill our needs of purpose, pride and privilege.

Prayer of Confession

Although you are One and the Body of Christ is One, we fail to display that unity in our worship, our mission, and our fellowship. Although You came to liberate the captives and to heal the sick and to visit the lonely, we have failed to hear their cries and see their needs as an intrusion upon on our own.

We have not learned to love so completely that we do not need Your forgiveness and healing. Forgive our pride and arrogance, heal our souls, and renew our vision, and makes us one even as you are One, for the sake of your Son, our savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

L: Hear the Good News: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners, that proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!P: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen

L: The Lord be with you.P: And also with you.

L: Lift up your hearts.P: We lift them up to the Lord.

L: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

P: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Great Thanksgiving

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And so, with your people on earth and all the company in heaven we praise your name and join in their unending hymn:

ALL:Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of

power and might, heaven and earth are full of you glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in

the Highest.

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us he took bread gave thanks to you, broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance

of me.”

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said;

“Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out

for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of

me.”

L: And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

P: Christ has died; Christ is risen;Christ will come again.

L: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by this blood.

L: By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through you son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. AMEN

Unite us, O God, make us…One with Christ

One with Each OtherOne in Ministry to all the World.