28/06/2026
Life is beyond & out of our control! 😩
The struggle is when we affix our eyes on finances, ignoring our real provider & protector. 🤑❓🙏
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This Sunday’s message on Prayer: Living Dependently (Luke 11:1-13) by Michael Fun from Bandar Sunway Gospel Centre
“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ’ ”
Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’
And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!””
~Luke 11:1-13 NIV
Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. (11:2)
Many of us (admin: believe Michael was referring to older folks here - think millennials, Gen X, boomers) grew up in a culture where we often rely on ourselves, without a personal relationship with our father who is an authoritarian figure.
We then wanted to be a father that not only provides but also connects with our children. Yet we learn we cannot be in control of everything. Illustration: a baby growing in mother’s tummy, always has risks.
Each of us are a child of God - prince & princesses of our Creator. We can have an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, by really getting to know our Father. Unlike any other faith.
Prayer is communicating with our Father. It’s surrendering our plans to God. Illustration: wanted to be a missionary far away, but God directed to serve various ministries in Malaysia.
Give us each day our daily bread. (11:3)
The struggle is when we affix our eyes on finances, ignoring our real provider & protector. Life is beyond & out of our control.
Illustration: built up SME business close to double-digit staff & growing profitable, but struggled with direction to let business go. Sold business in 2019 before COVID-19 hit in Apr 2020 lockdown whereby the business if not sold would not have survived. God provided not only for speaker and his family, but also all his staff.
In speaker’s culture (Malaysian Chinese Cantonese), he grew up not wanting to owe anyone favours. A struggle to let go and depend on God.
What is your relationship with this God? If you call him Father, this defines the relationship. It is never too late to reorientate your mindset for dependency on God.
Illustration: Parkinson’s robs a person’s ability for physical movements - once simple now left fully dependent on others. To anyone going through that, it would be difficult and shameful. The turning point is when one realises God is in control. One day we will also lose control. Or rather, realising we were never truly in control.
Verses 5-9 is a story of persistency. Persistency of “breaking our (own) pride”, is something we don’t do enough.
We don’t pray enough. We pray “safe” prayers.
Challenge: pray BOLD prayers!
Verses 11-13 tell us not just to ask God but also to wait for His answer. Or are we not even asking & seeking God?
Do know that sometimes God uses others (and circumstances) to answer our prayers. To drop our pride, and see God work.
God gives believers the Holy Spirit.
Challenge: Pray and find out why did Jesus ask us to ask, seek & knock on the door for the Holy Spirit?
We need to live a life of dependency on God. God blesses us for many reasons - including a key one that you have been counted worthy to be a steward. (Speaker’s note: It’s not a withholding from God if you don’t have material blessings.)
God is the only pillar that does not break under pressure. Recognise the relationship with your Father. And trust our provider.
❤️ Follow us online & join us in person at Klang Gospel Hall - your multigenerational community church.
