There’s nothing more transfiguring than prayer. People often ask, "Why do you insist on prayer so much?" The answer is very simple – because Jesus did. You could change the title of the Gospel according to St. Luke to the Gospel of Prayer. It’s the prayer life of Jesus. The other evangelists say that Jesus was in the Jordan and the Spirit descended on Him as a dove – Luke says it was while He was praying that the Spirit descended on Him. The other evangelists say that Jesus chose 12 disciples – Luke says it was after He spent a night in prayer that He chose 12 disciples. The other evangelists say that Jesus died on a cross – Luke says that even when He was dying Jesus was praying for those who persecuted Him. The other evangelists say Jesus went on a mount and He was transfigured – Luke says it was while He was praying that He was transfigured. There’s nothing more transfiguring than prayer.
The Scriptures say that the disciples went to bed, but Jesus went to pray – as was His custom. It was His custom to pray. Now Jesus was the Son of God – He was definitely anointed for His ministry. If Jesus needed all that time in prayer, don’t you and I need time in prayer? If Jesus needed it in every crisis, don’t you and I need it in every crisis?
The story goes that a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village saw an old man sitting by a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one of the visitors asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" Without looking up the old man replied, "No, only babies." The greatest men were once babies. The greatest saints were once toddlers in the things of the Spirit.
C. H. Spurgeon was converted at the age of 16 and began preaching in London at the age of 19. When he was 27, they built him a tabernacle seating 6,000 which he packed twice on Sundays – that’s 12,000 – and once on Thursday nights. How? He waited on God. He got alone with God. He studied…and he prayed.
Interesting observation. Thank you.
Luke portrays Christ as a man of righteousness, a righteous man.
So then a righteous man is one of prayer.
All true prayer is inspired of God and so an expression of God’s will.
Christ told us,
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
If we abide and His words abide will not our desires become aligned with His?
So prayer glorifies God because we can ask for what God wants do and so it produces the fruit that He desires.
Plainly prayer can only arise out of a relationship and a growing dependence upon God and communion and understanding through His word, to learn what He is doing and joining with that.
Did not Anna do this, and served God with fastings and prayers night and day?
Then prayer must be and come from a life given over to God. A thankfulness to Him and rejoicing in Him, a sharing with Him and He sharing with us and a seeking of Him what He wants to do.
We cannot all be preachers or evangelists or the like, neither can we all do great and wonderful works, but we can all learn to pray if we are willing to yield our lives to live for Him.
Let us press on to that prize.
December 26th, 2009 at 11:06 am
When Moses stood at the Sea of reeds asking God," why have you brought us here? to be killed by the egyptians/" and God replied," why do you cry out to me? raise your stick and part the waters" God has the power but He does like us to ask for Him to do things for us
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December 26th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Interesting observation. Thank you.
Luke portrays Christ as a man of righteousness, a righteous man.
So then a righteous man is one of prayer.
All true prayer is inspired of God and so an expression of God’s will.
Christ told us,
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
If we abide and His words abide will not our desires become aligned with His?
So prayer glorifies God because we can ask for what God wants do and so it produces the fruit that He desires.
Plainly prayer can only arise out of a relationship and a growing dependence upon God and communion and understanding through His word, to learn what He is doing and joining with that.
Did not Anna do this, and served God with fastings and prayers night and day?
Then prayer must be and come from a life given over to God. A thankfulness to Him and rejoicing in Him, a sharing with Him and He sharing with us and a seeking of Him what He wants to do.
We cannot all be preachers or evangelists or the like, neither can we all do great and wonderful works, but we can all learn to pray if we are willing to yield our lives to live for Him.
Let us press on to that prize.
References :