I read of something that happened during the American Civil War. As a result of a family tragedy, a soldier had been given permission to have a hearing with the President, because he wanted to request exemption from military service. But when he arrived at the White House, he was refused entry and he was sent away, and he went to sit in a nearby park. And as he was sitting in this park, a young boy came across to him and just remarked about how unhappy he looked. And the soldier found himself pouring out his heart to this young guy. And eventually the boy said, come with me,’ and the dejected soldier ‘Look, went back to the White House, they went round the back. None of the guards seemed to stop them even the generals and the high-ranking government — officials stood to attention and let them pass through and the soldier was — amazed. Finally they came to the presidential office. Without knocking they went into the west wing, the boy opened the door of the Oval Office, walked straight in, and there was Abraham Lincoln, standing there in conversation with the Secretary of State. And the moment they walked in, Abraham Lincoln turned to the boy and he said, `Todd, what can I do for you?’ And Todd said, `Dad, this soldier needs to talk to you.’ He had access, through the son. And that’s what Paul says, is we have access to God through the Son, through Jesus. Jesus takes us into the presence of Almighty God. And although we have no right of ourselves to go into God’s presence, through Jesus, through what he’s done for us on the cross, through the blood of Jesus, we have access to the Father. So Christian prayer is to the Father, through the Son, by one Spirit. Sometimes people say, `I really wouldn't know how to pray.’ And that’s what Paul says, St Paul says. He says: don't know how to pray but the Holy Spirit helps us in ‘We … our weakness.’
I read of something that happened during the American Civil War. As a result of a family tragedy, a soldier had been given permission to have a hearing with the President, because he wanted to request exemption from military service. But when he arrived at the White House, he was refused entry and he was sent away, and he went to sit in a nearby park. And as he was sitting in this park, a young boy came across to him and just remarked about how unhappy he looked. And the soldier found himself pouring out his heart to this young guy. And eventually the boy said, ‘Look, come with me,’ and the dejected soldier went back to the White House, they went round the back. None of the guards seemed to stop them — even the generals and the high-ranking government officials stood to attention and let them pass through — and the soldier was amazed. Finally they came to the presidential office. Without knocking they went into the west wing, the boy opened the door of the Oval Office, walked straight in, and there was Abraham Lincoln, standing there in conversation with the Secretary of State. And the moment they walked in, Abraham Lincoln turned to the boy and he said, `Todd, what can I do for you?’ And Todd said, `Dad, this soldier needs to talk to you.’ He had access, through the son. And that’s what Paul says, is we have access to God through the Son, through Jesus. Jesus takes us into the presence of Almighty God. And although we have no right of ourselves to go into God’s presence, through Jesus, through what he’s done for us on the cross, through the blood of Jesus, we have access to the Father. So Christian prayer is to the Father, through the Son, by one Spirit. Sometimes people say, `I really wouldn't know how to pray.’ And that’s what Paul says, St Paul says. He says: ‘We don't know how to pray … but the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.’
Alpha-Script-Week-5-Why-and-how-do-I-pray.docx