Read Verses: Luke 6:12-16
key Verse: In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
“I’m praying for you.” “I’ll pray for that.” “My prayers are with you.”
If you are like me, you've said phrases like this a thousand times to people at church. Words like this can make someone's day because they know they are cared for...and we follow through, adding that person to our list of people to pray for. Why? Because we know God listens. J.I. Packer got it exactly right, “If you are a Christian, you pray; and the recognition of God’s sovereignty is the basis of your prayers.” Convinced that God is powerful and in control, believers go to him in prayer, entrusting him with every detail of our lives. We know he hears us without fail.
But there also is a problem with phrases like those. Sometimes we say stuff like that, but do we actually pray? We want people to know we care, but out of sight, out of mind. I've even heard of people putting off decisions by saying "Let me pray about that first." or "Give me some time to ask God what He thinks." I’m convinced a lot of us talk and read about prayer much more than we actually pray. It shouldn’t be this way. NOW, The last thing I want to do is heap guilt upon someone in the area of prayer...because guilt does nothing for prayer at all. Instead, I’d like you to reflect for a few moments on the life of Jesus. I’m hopeful that his example and ultimately his sacrifice will motivate you to be more faithful in prayer.
In Luke 6:12 we encounter something extraordinary. Jesus prayed: “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” It appears that Jesus was praying for wisdom to know whom to select as his twelve apostles. This is a reasonable conclusion. The first thing Jesus does after praying is gather together his disciples and choose the twelve. Not only that, in Matthew’s account, before settling on his apostles, Jesus exhorted the disciples to pray. And notice what he told them to pray for: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37). Given that Jesus told his disciples to pray for workers, it seems likely that Jesus was praying for workers, too, specifically, the workers who would be his apostles.
Jesus was a man of prayer. NOBODY on earth was closer to the Father than the Son...but nevertheless he prayed. Throughout the gospels we are introduced to lessons on prayer, lessons designed for his disciples to carry on the example he was displaying to them. What do we learn from Jesus as we watch him pray and listen to his teachings? I believe one thing we learn is that the closeness and intimacy in their relationship (Father and Son) was one fostered by prayer. Jesus "enjoyed" spending time with His Father. I remember being taught about prayer...its a discipline...its something you do even if you don't want to...its a duty...yada yada yada. When we see Jesus praying in the Bible, I don't know if we are ever brought to these conclusions. Pray is not a duty to be dispatched, but a place of peace and beauty where our spirits and the Spirit of God can mingle in a soul searching dance. Prayer is to be enjoyed as it ushers us into the presence of God. I find too many people do not enjoy prayer...perhaps too many see it as a burden...perhaps too many don't know the real purpose of prayer.
What does Jesus teach us? First...prayer is necessary...vital...important...significant. Jesus prayed before major decisions. It could be that his future was shaped by prayer. That prayer was one of the elements in his life that was making the road before him smooth. Maybe when Jesus said that he was going to prepare a place for us, part of that preparation was intercessory prayer. We see Jesus praying before great decisions...but also before great struggles. Perhaps our victory in the Christian life is also marked by times of prayer. Here is what I know...we must pray...prayer brings us closer to God...the closer to God we are the more He impacts our lives...the more our lives are impacted by his grace, the more satisfying life will be. Prayer is essential to a meaningful life.
Secondly, prayer has a purpose. Jesus had real work to do. Apostles must be chosen. These apostles would go on to preach and write the words the Spirit would use to build the church (Eph. 2:20). Jesus had a church to establish, and so he prayed. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, he said "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." God has a determined purpose for each of our lives, a work that we need to do in order to further his kingdom...a calling if I could put it that way. Prayer is one of the tools God uses to enlist us into our calling. Whether that calling is to be an evangelist, or to be a church greeter, all are necessary for the Body to function as Christ. While action is necessary, informed action with purpose is critical. We pray so we can see our part in the process, not because we are going to miss it if we don't pray. God will still use us as he did Jonah, but we may miss the joy of understanding.
Thirdly, prayer is effective. Having stayed up all night talking to his heavenly Father, Jesus was ready to pick twelve men to serve him on earth. Jesus prayed, the Father answered, and Jesus chose the twelve. Perhaps it’s not a stretch to say that in Luke 6:12 we see something of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Jesus prayed because he knew no decision is outside the will of the Lord. But having prayed, Jesus acted. He stepped out and selected the men he believed best suited to do the work he needed. And so it is with us. We pray, because we know that God is sovereign. And then we act, trusting that God will guide our steps (see James 5:13-18). Could it be that the steps guided by pioneering prayer are blessed by God more so than decisions not preceded by prayer? If so, prayer could be a missing element in many of our struggles with faith. Prayer is like the heavy machinery that levels the ground for a road just before the paving begins.
Lastly, prayer is an act of grace. Jesus is our example, but He was perfect. In many ways its humbling to think that we could even live up to a tenth of what He was. In fact, we can't. But Jesus' whole life was not just an example for us, but an encouraging pathway to closeness with God. Jesus came to live and to die for us. When he went to the cross, he suffered a horrible death, one that pales in comparison to any other death ever experienced. He drank the cup of God's wrath for us, and by so doing has freed us to enter freely into God's presence. He opened a door into prayer for us that we could have never entered. By dying for us, he not only paid for our sins but also declared us righteous. We have been adopted into God's family and can come boldly before the throne of grace. We have confidence that the Father always hears us. We can be close to God and experience that closeness in prayer because Jesus has removed every last barrier between us and the Father. Prayer is the birthright of every born again child of God. Do we see it as a birthright? Do we see it as a privilege purchased for us by the death and resurrection of our Saviour and Friend? Fact is, we don't need to learn how to pray better, or longer, or harder...we need to experience how joyful it is to come into God's presence as one who is so precious to him. We need to experience the fullness of Sonship and inclusion into the family of God. This is prayers true purpose. When we see it as a relationship builder, it ceases to be a drudgery or discipline. It becomes a blessing in and of itself.
Lord Jesus, transform our thinking about prayer. Change our hearts and speak to us about the joy of praying. Help us focus our minds on the heart of the Father and not so much on the thickness of the ceiling. You died to usher us into the presence of God, bring us there, introduce us to the fullness of the Father. Fill us with Holy Spirit and let us know the depths of the love of the Father towards us. Let our hearts cry out "Behold what manner of Love is this, that the father has lavished upon us?" Our desire is to be one with our Family, both in heaven, and on earth. AMEN
key Verse: In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
“I’m praying for you.” “I’ll pray for that.” “My prayers are with you.”
If you are like me, you've said phrases like this a thousand times to people at church. Words like this can make someone's day because they know they are cared for...and we follow through, adding that person to our list of people to pray for. Why? Because we know God listens. J.I. Packer got it exactly right, “If you are a Christian, you pray; and the recognition of God’s sovereignty is the basis of your prayers.” Convinced that God is powerful and in control, believers go to him in prayer, entrusting him with every detail of our lives. We know he hears us without fail.
But there also is a problem with phrases like those. Sometimes we say stuff like that, but do we actually pray? We want people to know we care, but out of sight, out of mind. I've even heard of people putting off decisions by saying "Let me pray about that first." or "Give me some time to ask God what He thinks." I’m convinced a lot of us talk and read about prayer much more than we actually pray. It shouldn’t be this way. NOW, The last thing I want to do is heap guilt upon someone in the area of prayer...because guilt does nothing for prayer at all. Instead, I’d like you to reflect for a few moments on the life of Jesus. I’m hopeful that his example and ultimately his sacrifice will motivate you to be more faithful in prayer.
In Luke 6:12 we encounter something extraordinary. Jesus prayed: “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” It appears that Jesus was praying for wisdom to know whom to select as his twelve apostles. This is a reasonable conclusion. The first thing Jesus does after praying is gather together his disciples and choose the twelve. Not only that, in Matthew’s account, before settling on his apostles, Jesus exhorted the disciples to pray. And notice what he told them to pray for: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37). Given that Jesus told his disciples to pray for workers, it seems likely that Jesus was praying for workers, too, specifically, the workers who would be his apostles.
Jesus was a man of prayer. NOBODY on earth was closer to the Father than the Son...but nevertheless he prayed. Throughout the gospels we are introduced to lessons on prayer, lessons designed for his disciples to carry on the example he was displaying to them. What do we learn from Jesus as we watch him pray and listen to his teachings? I believe one thing we learn is that the closeness and intimacy in their relationship (Father and Son) was one fostered by prayer. Jesus "enjoyed" spending time with His Father. I remember being taught about prayer...its a discipline...its something you do even if you don't want to...its a duty...yada yada yada. When we see Jesus praying in the Bible, I don't know if we are ever brought to these conclusions. Pray is not a duty to be dispatched, but a place of peace and beauty where our spirits and the Spirit of God can mingle in a soul searching dance. Prayer is to be enjoyed as it ushers us into the presence of God. I find too many people do not enjoy prayer...perhaps too many see it as a burden...perhaps too many don't know the real purpose of prayer.
What does Jesus teach us? First...prayer is necessary...vital...important...significant. Jesus prayed before major decisions. It could be that his future was shaped by prayer. That prayer was one of the elements in his life that was making the road before him smooth. Maybe when Jesus said that he was going to prepare a place for us, part of that preparation was intercessory prayer. We see Jesus praying before great decisions...but also before great struggles. Perhaps our victory in the Christian life is also marked by times of prayer. Here is what I know...we must pray...prayer brings us closer to God...the closer to God we are the more He impacts our lives...the more our lives are impacted by his grace, the more satisfying life will be. Prayer is essential to a meaningful life.
Secondly, prayer has a purpose. Jesus had real work to do. Apostles must be chosen. These apostles would go on to preach and write the words the Spirit would use to build the church (Eph. 2:20). Jesus had a church to establish, and so he prayed. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, he said "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." God has a determined purpose for each of our lives, a work that we need to do in order to further his kingdom...a calling if I could put it that way. Prayer is one of the tools God uses to enlist us into our calling. Whether that calling is to be an evangelist, or to be a church greeter, all are necessary for the Body to function as Christ. While action is necessary, informed action with purpose is critical. We pray so we can see our part in the process, not because we are going to miss it if we don't pray. God will still use us as he did Jonah, but we may miss the joy of understanding.
Thirdly, prayer is effective. Having stayed up all night talking to his heavenly Father, Jesus was ready to pick twelve men to serve him on earth. Jesus prayed, the Father answered, and Jesus chose the twelve. Perhaps it’s not a stretch to say that in Luke 6:12 we see something of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Jesus prayed because he knew no decision is outside the will of the Lord. But having prayed, Jesus acted. He stepped out and selected the men he believed best suited to do the work he needed. And so it is with us. We pray, because we know that God is sovereign. And then we act, trusting that God will guide our steps (see James 5:13-18). Could it be that the steps guided by pioneering prayer are blessed by God more so than decisions not preceded by prayer? If so, prayer could be a missing element in many of our struggles with faith. Prayer is like the heavy machinery that levels the ground for a road just before the paving begins.
Lastly, prayer is an act of grace. Jesus is our example, but He was perfect. In many ways its humbling to think that we could even live up to a tenth of what He was. In fact, we can't. But Jesus' whole life was not just an example for us, but an encouraging pathway to closeness with God. Jesus came to live and to die for us. When he went to the cross, he suffered a horrible death, one that pales in comparison to any other death ever experienced. He drank the cup of God's wrath for us, and by so doing has freed us to enter freely into God's presence. He opened a door into prayer for us that we could have never entered. By dying for us, he not only paid for our sins but also declared us righteous. We have been adopted into God's family and can come boldly before the throne of grace. We have confidence that the Father always hears us. We can be close to God and experience that closeness in prayer because Jesus has removed every last barrier between us and the Father. Prayer is the birthright of every born again child of God. Do we see it as a birthright? Do we see it as a privilege purchased for us by the death and resurrection of our Saviour and Friend? Fact is, we don't need to learn how to pray better, or longer, or harder...we need to experience how joyful it is to come into God's presence as one who is so precious to him. We need to experience the fullness of Sonship and inclusion into the family of God. This is prayers true purpose. When we see it as a relationship builder, it ceases to be a drudgery or discipline. It becomes a blessing in and of itself.
Lord Jesus, transform our thinking about prayer. Change our hearts and speak to us about the joy of praying. Help us focus our minds on the heart of the Father and not so much on the thickness of the ceiling. You died to usher us into the presence of God, bring us there, introduce us to the fullness of the Father. Fill us with Holy Spirit and let us know the depths of the love of the Father towards us. Let our hearts cry out "Behold what manner of Love is this, that the father has lavished upon us?" Our desire is to be one with our Family, both in heaven, and on earth. AMEN
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