Dear Friends,
God invites us to prayer. The twelve disciples of Jesus were all Galileans except for Judas Iscariot, who was from Judah. Most were considered to be either zealots or violent Jewish nationalists. Yet, one thing they did have in common was that they were devout Jews. They knew about prayer and probably prayed regularly, a couple times a day, according to Jewish custom. However, the one and only thing that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray. The disciples noticed that the prayers and prayer life of Jesus was different.
For Jesus, prayer was not just a religious responsibility or obligation; prayer saturated His whole life and being. He prayed before each decision, miracle, and answer. Through prayer, Jesus allowed God to work through Him. His prayer life was more private than public, and it demonstrated a deep intimate relationship and dependency on God the Father. The story of the Bible is the story of God’s pursuit of man. He wants to restore us to a relationship with Him. Prayer is how we develop that relationship. God desires prayer as much as we need it.
Prayer is one of the most important lessons that Jesus could have taught His disciples. God not only invites us into a prayer relationship with Him, but through prayer, we invite God to work in our daily lives. Through prayer, we are transformed into being more like Christ as our intimacy and dependency on God increases. Josephus described Galileans like this: “They were fond of innovation and by nature disposed to change and delighted in sedition. They were ready to follow the leader and to begin an insurrection. They were quick in temper and given to quarreling and they were very chivalrous men.” These Jewish men were seeking a Ruling King that would save them from the oppression of the Romans. Instead, they found a Suffering Savior as their leader. Through their prayer life, we see these disciples transformed. Love replaces the violence in their hearts. God invites us to prayer, so that we can experience that same transformation and intimate relationship with Him.
There are many different types of prayer. If you would like to learn more about prayer or how to deepen your prayer life, I would be happy to meet with you. If you already have a consistent and deep prayer life, consider trying a new form of prayer or engaging prayer in a different way, and please add Agnus Dei to your prayer list! Everyone could always use a little more prayer support! Have a wonderful week!
Until next we meet,
Pastor Jessi
Scripture Study: Matthew 6:5-15 and Luke 11:1-13
God invites us to prayer. The twelve disciples of Jesus were all Galileans except for Judas Iscariot, who was from Judah. Most were considered to be either zealots or violent Jewish nationalists. Yet, one thing they did have in common was that they were devout Jews. They knew about prayer and probably prayed regularly, a couple times a day, according to Jewish custom. However, the one and only thing that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray. The disciples noticed that the prayers and prayer life of Jesus was different.
For Jesus, prayer was not just a religious responsibility or obligation; prayer saturated His whole life and being. He prayed before each decision, miracle, and answer. Through prayer, Jesus allowed God to work through Him. His prayer life was more private than public, and it demonstrated a deep intimate relationship and dependency on God the Father. The story of the Bible is the story of God’s pursuit of man. He wants to restore us to a relationship with Him. Prayer is how we develop that relationship. God desires prayer as much as we need it.
Prayer is one of the most important lessons that Jesus could have taught His disciples. God not only invites us into a prayer relationship with Him, but through prayer, we invite God to work in our daily lives. Through prayer, we are transformed into being more like Christ as our intimacy and dependency on God increases. Josephus described Galileans like this: “They were fond of innovation and by nature disposed to change and delighted in sedition. They were ready to follow the leader and to begin an insurrection. They were quick in temper and given to quarreling and they were very chivalrous men.” These Jewish men were seeking a Ruling King that would save them from the oppression of the Romans. Instead, they found a Suffering Savior as their leader. Through their prayer life, we see these disciples transformed. Love replaces the violence in their hearts. God invites us to prayer, so that we can experience that same transformation and intimate relationship with Him.
There are many different types of prayer. If you would like to learn more about prayer or how to deepen your prayer life, I would be happy to meet with you. If you already have a consistent and deep prayer life, consider trying a new form of prayer or engaging prayer in a different way, and please add Agnus Dei to your prayer list! Everyone could always use a little more prayer support! Have a wonderful week!
Until next we meet,
Pastor Jessi
Scripture Study: Matthew 6:5-15 and Luke 11:1-13
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