John the Baptist gave his disciples a form of prayer, and so the disciples of Jesus asked to be taught to pray (Luke 11:1). (There were not many things they asked him to do for them, and when they did they were usually wrong.) (Google image, Learning to pray)
Would He have given them a form of prayer if they had not asked Him? Why did they ask? Jesus' own praying awoke within them, it seems, a desire to be able to pray, and when they wanted to pray they found they did not know how.
They obviously felt the need of some ordered form by which they could speak out of their heart to God. They quoted John for support.
There are still disciples who, in effect, quote John the Baptist to Jesus. forms are easier than a creative spirit. Prayers counted on a rosary are easier that the prayers of a soul poured out in unrestrained speech to God.
The Prayer Book helps the inarticulate to clearly express themselves. Such praying may be perfectly sincere, and the devout may find in provided prayers a real help to devotion, for it may be that such praying needs to be learned at the feet of instructors.
Indeed, that is the kind of prayer that needs to be learned. The rosary prayers are simply recited; and morning and evening prayers in the Book of Common Prayer—though a non-Anglican might have difficulty finding his way—are uplifting and didactic.
In fact, all praying begins with forms of prayer. There is hardly a soul who does not remember the simple, earnest prayers repeated at his mother's knee with reverent wonder and joy.
It is not other people's prayers that make a man of prayer. All true prayer, the prayer that prevails, is personal, intimate, and original.
[#5 post continues this thought, so be sure to check it out on the 22nd]
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Used by the permission of
Let's pray-
Father, evidently, Jesus' own praying awoke within His disciples a desire to be able to pray like He did. It was when they'd wanted to pray, they found they did not know how.
In asking Him to teach them to pray, they obviously felt their need to have some ordered form by which they could speak out of their hearts.
Prayers learned from prayer books, and other means, are helpful, though not true prayer that prevails, personal, intimate and original.
We are asking for Your help, Father, that our prayers may become what speaks from our hearts to You for our needs and those of others we're concerned about.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
In asking Him to teach them to pray, they obviously felt their need to have some ordered form by which they could speak out of their hearts.
Prayers learned from prayer books, and other means, are helpful, though not true prayer that prevails, personal, intimate and original.
We are asking for Your help, Father, that our prayers may become what speaks from our hearts to You for our needs and those of others we're concerned about.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
under the mighty hand of God, that he may
exalt you in due time."
James 5:16 (KJV) "Confess your faults one to
another, and pray one for another, that ye may
be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much."
Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
(v. 13) And you will seek Me and find Me, when
you search for Me with all your heart. (v. 14)
I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I
will bring you back from your captivity . . . "
Today's quotes-
~ All my roads- "In other words: prayer is personal, but it is also something so much more than just the expression of a single bond between myself and Christ. Every member of the choir matters; but it’s the joining of their voices in harmony and unison that the bridegroom has come to hear.
And this is of great comfort to me as I’m learning (trying, really) to pray.
Because suddenly my conversation with Christ does not rely on me. When prayer is seen as something much greater than my own direct line to Christ, when prayer is understood as a joining of voices, my shouts of “hurrah!” rising with the thousands, then prayer does not end when I open my eyes, think about dinner, speed-read the Psalms or forget to mutter my grocery lists of requests and praises prior to going to bed.
When prayer moves outside of something that I control and into something in which I participate, then the act of trying to pray is itself caught up grace.And with every breath I’m all the more thankful that the prayer does not depend on my technique, effort, desire, or even purity of heart.
Instead it depends on Christ. And therefore it is heard."
~ Abbie McDonald- "Sometimes God allows us to face
~ Abbie McDonald- "Sometimes God allows us to face
our greatest fears so we see that there is no fear greater
than his love . . . Living in his love means I can walk
forward without fear because I know even if trials,
discomfort or tragedy lies ahead, he will be with me."
C. Peter Wagner shares with us about the seriousness of faithful,
committed intercessions, and what they bring.
"Charles G. Finney, one of the most effective evangelists of the last century, met Daniel Nash early in his ministry."
committed intercessions, and what they bring.
"Charles G. Finney, one of the most effective evangelists of the last century, met Daniel Nash early in his ministry."
Today's question-
What is fuel for our prayer life?
As we connect with God in what He's doing and what He wants us to do, we need to first of all remember Who He is. Remembering Jabez, (1 Chron. 4:10), we see that his heart's desire was what his prayer was about.
Our expressing our desires in our relationship with God, we are to see that our faith in Him activates what we're praying about. Our relationship with Him determines the outcome of our prayers.
Will it bring God glory, and will it cause us to improve our life/ministry? Our fuel for our prayer life is faith in Him to be Who He says He is, and that He hears us.
As Jabez was given a changed identity, we too, can have our past identity changed through our repentance, redemption and new walk of life in Christ Jesus. We can live free from our past, as did Jabez, and become what God intends for us to be and to accomplish.
What is fuel for our prayer life?
As we connect with God in what He's doing and what He wants us to do, we need to first of all remember Who He is. Remembering Jabez, (1 Chron. 4:10), we see that his heart's desire was what his prayer was about.
Our expressing our desires in our relationship with God, we are to see that our faith in Him activates what we're praying about. Our relationship with Him determines the outcome of our prayers.
Will it bring God glory, and will it cause us to improve our life/ministry? Our fuel for our prayer life is faith in Him to be Who He says He is, and that He hears us.
As Jabez was given a changed identity, we too, can have our past identity changed through our repentance, redemption and new walk of life in Christ Jesus. We can live free from our past, as did Jabez, and become what God intends for us to be and to accomplish.
Upcoming posts-
Christ Invites Us to Draw Near
19th- Saturday's post by Rick Carmichael
#5 Personality in Prayer
22nd- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick
#6 Prayer Learned by Praying
24th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
Holiness or Wholly-ness
26th- Saturday's post by Lee Forbes
Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)Christ Invites Us to Draw Near
19th- Saturday's post by Rick Carmichael
#5 Personality in Prayer
22nd- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick
#6 Prayer Learned by Praying
24th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
Holiness or Wholly-ness
26th- Saturday's post by Lee Forbes
Helpful ways the Lord helped me in my marriage.
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