Daddy???

Pastor JD was very effective in teaching us about prayer tonight using two parables from Luke to illustrate how we should approach the throne with our requests.  First he noted from Luke 11, in the Lord's prayer, where Jesus taught the disciples to begin their prayers with "Father."  The Greek word here is actually Abba meaning Daddy, a more endearing word than Father.  We should come to Him as a child would her daddy, with persistence, with expectation, with the knowledge and trust that He will provide for her.  Then JD used the parable in Luke 11 which describes how much earthly fathers who are evil will give their children and how much more our heavenly Father who is good will provide for His children.  If we could really grasp this fact our prayer life would be totally different.  The next parable JD spoke of came from Luke 18 and it compared God to a unjust judge and us to a pesky woman wanting justice for herself.  Comical as this is, it is there to point is to the fact that we are to be persistent and consistent with our prayers.  Most "Christians" spend 5 minutes/day in prayer.  What do you pray for when you pray?  I know my heart was pricked by this message especially when JD added the note that how much of it would be that we would dwell in the house of the Lord forever as described in the Psalms.  Is that the one thing that YOU desire of the Lord?  I know that my prayers are filled with many other things but I learned a lot about prayer tonight. 1. Prayer actually changes things.  Prayers are like laser beams.  They build on each other until they are strong and powerful prayers.  2. We desperately need the mercy of God, but guess what, it's abundant.  The subtle disbelief that we are absolutely dependent on God keeps us from praying whole-heartedly.  3. We should pray trustingly, like children.  Sometimes God answers our prayers by giving to us what we would have asked for had we known what He knows.  4. Our greatest petition is for more of the Holy Spirit. 
So, what do you have to ask of Daddy and will you come to Him with child-like faith?