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When Jesus had finished praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his followers to pray.”
2So Jesus told them, “Pray in this way:
`Father, help us
to honor your name.
Come and set up
your kingdom.
3Give us each day
the food we need.
4Forgive our sins,
as we forgive everyone
who has done wrong to us.
And keep us
from being tempted.’ “
Luke 11:1-4
when you read it, when you speak it, what Jesus prayed is really very simple, honest, real. It doesn sound overly spiritual, its not filled with repetition or flowerly language. Jesus SPEAKS to His Father. He prays. He communicates. He shares His hearts and His needs.
In the same way we should learn from Jesus – that prayer isnt about sounding spiritual or impressive – but its about connecting and communicating with our Father. prayer isnt about formula and catch phrases. its about conversation its about relationship and bringing honour and glory to His name, its about sharing our needs and our fears and our weaknesses with Him and worshiping Him.
what a privaledge it is that we can come and pray and seek God and call Him our Father – personal and near and close and loving. .
Praying for a move of God to ignite a generation of young people to stand and burn and shine for God, demonstrating His love and grace and real life power and relvancy and reality to those around them…. those that know their God will be strong and do exploits… that God would reveal Himself in realityand glory, and come and turn our hearts towards Him afresh… let it begin in me… …let it begin NOW! a generation loving God, empowered & pouring our lives our for His glory! our heart cries out Lord for you to come and move. We look around at the hurt and brokenness around us and know that you are the only one to give hope and remedy and rescue. we pray. we seek you Lord. we pray.
“be the spark that lights the fire” isaiah 64:2
“Our prayers lay the track down which Gods power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.” – Watchman Nee
Luke 9:1-6 Jesus called together his twelve apostles and gave them complete power over all demons and diseases. 2Then he sent them to tell about God’s kingdom and to heal the sick. 3He told them, “Don’t take anything with you! Don’t take a walking stick or a traveling bag or food or money or even a change of clothes. 4When you are welcomed into a home, stay there until you leave that town. 5If people won’t welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet as a warning to them.” 6The apostles left and went from village to village, telling the good news and healing people everywhere.
firstly COMPLTE POWER
- not partial, not a little bit, not a portion of power….
complete power – supernatural authority!
Jesus gave them complete power and then he SENT them to do something with that power!
he instructed them to take nothing with them – only take the power he gave them with them – not to take their own agenda, status, qualifications. the only qualification they had to minister was the power of God.
the power is of God – not ourselves!
We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
i am loving being in the book of Luke at the moment. i read by a reading plan (M’Cheyne Bible Plan) and do overall love reading The Word and learning about God and drawing near to Him… i believe God reveals Himself in the Word and speaks to us through it. anyway, back to Luke. i am loving Luke at the moment. so thought i would share some of my favourite passages!
Luke 5:15-16 News about Jesus kept spreading. Large crowds came to listen to him teach and to be healed of their diseases. But Jesus would often go to some place where he could be alone and pray.
I’ve already blogged on this passage, how important, vital and neccessary prayer is – that Jesus made it a priority, even leaving the crowds of desperate people in need of healing and deliverance – he left the power ministry to draw near to God.
“I will not fear the desert place–it is there that You speak to me with greatest tenderness.
I will not mourn lost popularity–You speak Your secrets to the solitary who will take time to listen.” Thoughts In The Watchtower
Our personal devotional time – praying – reading the Word – worship – is what keeps our relationship alive with our Heavenly Father. don’t neglect it. Esteem it.
Gold and silver are mined,
then purified;
2the same is done
with iron and copper.
3Miners carry lanterns
deep into the darkness
to search for these metals.
4They dig tunnels
in distant, unknown places,
where they dangle by ropes.
5Far beneath the grain fields,
fires are built
to break loose those rocks
6that have jewels or gold. 7Miners go to places unseen
by the eyes of hawks;
8they walk on soil unknown
to the proudest lions.
9With their own hands
they remove sharp rocks
and uproot mountains.
10They dig through the rocks
in search of jewels
and precious metals.
11They also uncover
the sources of rivers and discover secret places.
Where Is Wisdom Found?
12But where is wisdom found?
13No human knows the way. 14Nor can it be discovered
in the deepest sea.
15It is worth much more
than silver or pure gold
16or precious stones.
17Nothing is its equal–
not gold or costly glass. 18Wisdom is worth much more than
coral, jasper, or rubies. 19All the topaz of Ethiopia and the finest gold
cannot compare with it.
20Where then is wisdom?
21It is hidden from human eyes
and even from birds.
22Death and destruction
have merely heard rumors
about where it is found.
23God is the only one who knows
the way to wisdom,
24because he sees everything
beneath the heavens.
25When God divided out
the wind and the water,
26and when he decided the path
for rain and lightning,
27he also determined the truth
and defined wisdom.
28God told us, “Wisdom means
that you respect me, the Lord,
and turn from sin.”
Job 28
i only discovered this passage this year, despite having read the bible several times. and it excites me so!
i believe and get really excited by 1 Corinthians 2:9-11 “However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
The Holy Spirit lives within us and one of the blessed “things” He does is to reveal to us who God is and the heart of God. God calls us to draw near and seek Him. though seeking Him may take time and pursuing. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2 God hides himself in a way, He hides His truth and we have to find it and seek it.
We are like miners, delving into the Word of God and seeking His ways and His revelation.
Miners carry lanterns
deep into the darkness
to search for these metals.
They dig tunnels
in distant, unknown places,
where they dangle by ropes.
i love the imagry. seeking God sometimes isn’t the easiest task, but oh how rewarding it is! it may take stepping back from circumstances and friendships and “stuff” to take the time to seek God and to walk in His ways that please Him, but it is worth it. We fearlessly seek God. We put Him first. We seek Him by faith.
With their own hands
they remove sharp rocks
and uproot mountains.
do you see the analogy? do you hear my heart here?
Dont you want to be one who ” uncover the sources of rivers and discover secret places.”
oh God. come and work in my heart. keep my heart soft. and help me have faith. help me be persistant. i put my trust in you. only you can make the way.
i surrender, all to you, all to you, My God!
i lay down my life, all i am, all i will be.
i live to worship you, to demonstrate you, to shine for you, to live for you, to know you.
you are worthy, of all. all. all.
i surrender.
i give you all my life. all. all.
you are worthy.
Interesting to note, that though Moses freaks out in this first encounter with God, and hides his face, that one thing Moses is known for is face to face encounter with God – Exodus 33:7-11
Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. 11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
Dont stay in the place of first encounter! Press in, relate, connect, develop that relationship and friendship. Seek face to face encounter. Don’t be satisfied, hunger for God and do something about it.
my prayer – that they would encounter you… that they would hear your voice… that you would be glorified, exalted, known….
Jesus, come speak, breathe your Word into me.
Disturb us Lord, when we are too pleased with ourselves. When our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little. When we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us Lord, to dare more boldly. To venture on wider seas. Where storms will show your mastery; Where, losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes; And to push into the future, in strength, courage, hope and love. (SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 1577) first read here
What an amazing prayer above. Disturb us from our comfort and complacency. There is a world out there in desperate need of salvation and hope found only in Jesus Christ. In this generation are we going to stand and shine and declare the greatness of God?
Dare us Lord to follow you boldly.
Dare us Lord to be radical in obedience and witness.
Dare us Lord to lay our lives down.
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