Thursday: More Lessons on Prayer
Immediately after giving His disciples a model prayer, Jesus taught them, through the parable of a friend at midnight (Luke 11:5-13), the need for persistent prayer. Then, as He neared the end of His ministry, He reminded His followers of the need for penitence and humility in prayer (Luke 18:9-14).
Image © Educational Concepts from GoodSalt.com
Both of these parables show that prayer is not just a religious routine, but a persistent walking, talking, and living with the Father.
Read Luke 11:5-8. Jesus told this parable to encourage perseverance in prayer. Prayer should not become a routine. Instead, prayer should be the foundation of a relationship-of absolute, persistent, and continual reliance on God. Prayer is the breath of the soul: without it, we are spiritually dead. Jesus tells the parable of a neighbor who refuses to be neighborly. The continuous pleas of his friend for a loaf of bread to meet a midnight emergency go in vain. But finally, even such a neighbor gives up and yields to the persistence of the continuous midnight knocks. How much more would God be toward someone persistent in prayer? Such persistence is not to change God’s mind but to strengthen our trust.
Read Luke 18:9-14. What’s the crucial lesson here about prayer?
The Pharisee expected God to endorse him on the basis of what he had done, his works of righteousness. The publican threw himself at God’s mercy and pleaded for acceptance on the basis of God’s grace. God’s acceptance comes to us not on the basis of who or what we are but through His grace alone. Only those who are penitent, humble, and broken in spirit can receive that grace.
Meekness and lowliness are the conditions of success and victory. A crown of glory awaits those who bow at the foot of the cross.
-Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 590.
People who have not known the Lord tend to compare themselves to those who are, supposedly, worse than they are, all in order to convince themselves that they are not so bad. Why is that such a spiritual deception? What does it matter if others are worse than we are?
(35)
Persistence in prayer overcomes our insensitiveness and not God's.It does not change our hearts and minds than His.It helps us understand and express the intensity of our need. It is helpful to pray as if the answer depended on our prayer, but then to trust that the answer depends on God. Persistence in prayer helps us recognize God's work when we see it.How much more would God be toward someone persistent in prayer? Such persistence is not to change God's mind but to strenthen our trust!
When prayer itself is thought to be power or powerful it is likely to be attended by rituals, whether in the form of vain repetitions or a prescribed sequence of actions which have been reported as successful elsewhere.
Concerning a certain centurion Jesus marveled and made the very remarkable statement, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Matthew 8:8-10).
The Roman soldier realized he did not need the anointing ceremony, the special touch, or even the physical presence of the Omnipotent Healer. He implicitly trusted the word and authority of Jesus. The Messiah longed for Israel to get that point, to prove Him by innocent childlike faith, without dependence on objects and ceremonies, which were themselves powerless.
Towards the end Satan will be permitted to step up his counterfeit miracle working and capitalize on desperate situations (Revelation 13:13, 14). The brethren are at risk of resting faith in rituals or prayer itself and thereby becoming vulnerable to deception which tests the elect (Mark 13:22). Jesus’ warning in the “Last day” sermon is not to be treated lightly by commandment keepers.
Might Jesus marvel that the remnant of modern Israel finally gets it? And can it be that Jesus finds such faith in this generation?
I have been praying consistently for years about a certain matter but now my greatest fear has been realized. Why did'nt God answer my prayer ? I have been faithful and I have prayed consistently. I am am so sad and I even feel betrayed . I know that God knows the beginning from the end and He is still in control so I will have to continue to trust Him.
He reminded His followers of the need for penitence and humility in prayer (Luke 18:9-14). The word "penitence" troubles me because it's a word used among catholic theology, no so, among the protestant theology.
Ariel, your last sentence shows you still have faith. Ask God to hold on to you and to give you strength to hold on to Him. Some questions we have will only be answered in heaven, and, as incredible as it sounds, we will agree that God's answers here were the best.
Prayer is everything in my life,the good health I have,the family,friends,and all that I have is a result of prayer and thanks giving in all situations...Yes satan as always,tries to discourage me, but I always hold on persistence in prayer and thanks giving.When my son Derrick died through a fierce high voltage electrocution,while from school,the only boy I had,friend,my prayer partner,I cried loud to God Who had been taking care of him,till he met his dead at only 6.
Now as I wait patiently in prayer, praising Him day long the One and only Who holds my future,to furnish me with what pleases Him,I encourage someone that,God remains the same,even if your prayer requests takes the whole of your life...Just wait in the Lord!
Ariel,
Even Jesus said a prayer He didn't get. Matt. 26:39. "...let this cup pass from me;" Here He voiced what He wanted to the Father; however, He knew what was important when praying. "Not as I will, but as You will."
Dear Ariel,
It might not be easy for you at the moment but believe in him who said that he is the way the truth and the life...( John 14:6).God's promise to you is true and unchanging no matter the circumstances you're in.When you're persistent in prayer,you totally submit to God and trust upon His will to be manifested in your life.Satan isn't happy with your persistence thus he plants in you a feeling of betrayal and neglect.God never abandons us brethren and so we shouldn't even in severe hardship.