CROSSTOWN CHURCH Tuesday, October 8, 2013 GRACE TO GO TO SCHOOL Hope you’ve had a great day! I want to learn to pray! Do you? The disciples had been watching Jesus. He had come walking into their lives like no one else. His presence, composure, and magnetism attracted them to Him. And His call to follow Him was one they had readily accepted. Now they were with Him. They couldn’t help but observe there was something very special about Him. He was truly human and subject to the same temptations of pride, or dissatisfaction, or discontentment as they were. He moved effortlessly throughout the day while they struggled. He had a tranquility that they lacked. He blessed people while they, at times, wanted to curse them. He possessed power, influence, wisdom, authority, confidence, grace, mercy and a whole host of other noble qualities. Jesus didn’t possess great financial resources. He didn’t own a house or property. He didn’t have a car or camel. He had no cathedral or temple to call His own . . . but He had a Father in Heaven! This Jesus that they called Master was, to their observation, worthy to be emulated. But how? As they enjoyed Jesus’ fellowship they began to notice that He was accustomed to prayer. His prayers were always heard and answered in ways not normally seen. A hunger began to develop and was finally vocalized when one of the disciples mouthed the following words . . . Lord, teach us to pray!1 So, Jesus opened the School of Prayer, right then and there. This is what the disciples needed then . . . and what we need today. Though the beginnings of prayer are so elementary that the simplest child can pray, it can be the highest, most mind-boggling, holiest work that any person can undertake. The power of the heavenly realm is put at our disposal when we pray. Prayer is at the very nature of our Christian walk. Prayer becomes the funnel of all heavenly blessings, the secret of divine power, and the answer to overcoming temptation. Andrew Murray, a South African pastor born in the 1800’s wrote, “our early training, the teaching of the church, the influence of habit, the stirring of the emotions – how easily these lead to prayer which has no spiritual power, and avails but little. True prayer, that takes hold of God’s strength, that availeth much, to which the gates of heaven are really opened wide – who would not cry, Oh for someone to teach me thus to pray?”2 This simple email isn’t about our need to pray more. We all know we can and should. It’s not about praying so that others notice. Who cares? And it surely isn’t about obtaining gold stars on God’s heavenly chart of His gifted and distinguished children. It is about an honest–to–God desire to be a student of prayer. As noted earlier, the disciples observed that Jesus’ secret was . . . well, prayer. And they wanted to enroll in His school. Instruction began immediately with what we call, The Lord’s Prayer. Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and The power and The glory forever. Amen. Multitudes of people have memorized this prayer. For that let’s be thankful. However, Jesus intended the prayer to be far more than a simple repeated prayer. When you sit down and look at its words, you will notice the following instructions Jesus was making about prayer. Understanding and learning these points of instruction will deepen your and my prayer life. In teaching the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus was instructing the disciples in: 1. How to begin praying 2. Who to address when praying 3. Whose name to honor and revere 4. Whose will to obey 5. Whose interest to serve and have at heart 6. What to ask for 7. How to keep clear lines of communication to God 8. How to live with our fellow man 9. How to live with God 10. How to live free from sin Jesus’ School of Prayer remains open. All applicants are accepted and instruction begins when the student is ready. The professor of the course has tenure and He is still practicing what He teaches . . . always making pray on our behalf to the Father.3 I remain an enrolled student in Jesus’ school of prayer. His grace keeps me at it! Praying with and for you! –John 1 – Luke 11:1 2 – With Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray, p. 14 3 – Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25
Posted on: Wed, 09 Oct 2013 14:38:26 +0000