Improving your Serve

The Habit of Fasting

August 4, 2024 • Pastor Art Sauer • Matthew 6:16–18

As we finish the series on improving our service to the Kingdom of God, the last example givess in The Sermon on the Mount is all about fasting. So we’ll answer the questions of What is fasting? Does the Bible command fasting? Did Jesus’ disciple fast? Why should we fast? How do we fast?

6 9 24 Addressing the Father Edit

June 9, 2024 • Pastor Art Sauer • Matthew 6:9

As we begin to look at the model prayer, the very first thing we do is address God as Our Father. But there is a bit more to look at like Was the Lord's Prayer intended to be used as a memorized repeated prayer? Why is everything in the model prayer in plural? (Our, us, etc.) What does Father mean? Why do we talk to God in heaven?

The Will of God

June 30, 2024 • Pastor Art Sauer • Matthew 6:10

As we look into the theology and application of the Lord's model prayer, certain questions come up when it related to God's Will. What is the will of God? What does "God's will" really mean? What is the difference between the present and future will of God? What is the difference between the revealed and hidden will of God? How does that effect my prayer life?

Daily Needs

July 7, 2024 • Pastor Art Sauer • Matthew 6:11

We move in the model prayer from God's wants to our needs. In Matthew 6:11 we'll answer the questions of Do we really need to bother God with things we can provide ourselves? Is it OK to come to God with simple and small things? What does He mean by us and our, why is it in plural form? Is it OK to pray for our physical needs? What if God has already provided something we needed? Doesn’t God want to give us the desires of our hearts rather than just what we need? Do we just pray for today? Isn’t it a little disrespectful to God to demand bread?

Forgiveness

July 14, 2024 • Pastor Art Sauer • Matthew 6:12, Matthew 6:14–15

Forgiveness is easy to talk about, not so easy to do. Yet in the model prayer that Jesus gives, He explains that we are to not only ask forgiveness from God, but that we should also forgive others. We spend some time answering the questions like What is the difference between a debt and trespass? Didn't God forgive us once and for all on the cross? Does God really not forgive people? Why should we forgive others? What does it look like to forgive someone?

Protection

July 21, 2024 • Pastor Luke Huertas • Matthew 6:13

Finishing up the Model Prayer, we learn that we should ask for protection from God. God's grace is in abundance; He has bestowed upon the believers to triumph over testing and temptation through His Son, Jesus. This last phrase shows our total dependance on God as we finish our prayer to Him

Riley's Creek Baptist Church

The Life of a Kingdom Follower