Alvin Vandergriend- No person ever prayed as Jesus did. Prayer was absolutely central to everything in Jesus' life. E.M. Bounds says of Jesus, "Prayer was the secret of His power, the law of His life, the inspiration of His toil, and the source of His wealth, His joy, His communion, and His strength." The gospels contain no less than 18 actual prayers. (Google image, Jesus, man of prayer)
In some ways it is surprising to think that prayer was necessary for Jesus. After all, He is the Son of God, the very One who today hears and answers our prayers. But prayer was necessary for Jesus during the days of His ministry on earth because He was truly human and shared wholly in our humanity, except that He did not sin.
In taking our limitations on Himself, He accepted even the limitation of depending on the Father and having to communicate with God in prayer. Jesus clearly loved to pray.
For Him it was a lifestyle. He prayed at every major milestone of His life: at His baptism in the river Jorden, before calling His disciples, before being transfigured, before the Lord's Supper, before the cross, on the cross, as He died, and before He ascended into heaven.
Jesus prayed at moments of joy (Luke 10:21) and when His heart was troubled (John 12:27-28). He gained victories in advance through prayer (John 11:41-42) and averted temptation after His victories through prayer (John 6:15). He prayed so much that He had a reputation as a man of prayer (Matthew 19:13).
Jesus' prayer life was full of variety. He prayed early in the morning, at the end of a long day, and often in between. He prayed in solitary places, on mountainsides, in the wilderness, in a garden, and indoors.
One time He is described as kneeling in prayer (Luke 22:41), at another time prostrate (Matthew 26:39), and at another time standing with eyes fixed on heaven (John 11:41). He prayed in private (Luke 9:18) and in public (John 11:41-42).
Jesus also knew how to listen in prayer: In John 7:16 He says "My teaching . . . comes from him who sent me." And later He noted that the Father commanded Him "what to say and how to say it," and that whatever He said was just what the Father had told Him to say (John 12:49-50).
Jesus' prayer life did not end with His earthly journey. Today He "is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Romans 8:34). And "because he always lives to intercede" for us, He is able to save us completely (Hebrews 7:25).
Do you want to be like Jesus? Then learn to pray like Jesus! There is no better way to pray.
(pp. 82, 83 in Love to Pray- 40 Day Devotional for Deepening Your Prayer Life by Alvin Vandergriend)
Father, let it be said of us, that we have a history of prayer being a prominent theme in our lives. We pray today that You'll reveal the areas of our prayer lives that most need improving, so we can become more like Jesus.
Today's Bible verses-
Today's Popular post-
song:
1. Jesus, keep me near the cross;
there a precious fountain,
free to all, a healing stream,
flows from Calvary's mountain. . .
Today's question-
Do you want God to do something big for you?
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Early this am i got up to pray. I wept as Gods goodness filled the room. His peace overflowed me as I said now my will but yours, then this message came in. Thank you Jean.
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