Day 8: First Things First
(Luke 11:1)
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
I often marvel at the fact that the Disciples were Jesus's closet companion and yet the only thing recorded in the bible that they asked Jesus to specifically teach them was to Pray. What is so special about Prayer that the disciples wanted what Jesus had? In simple terms prayer means Talking to God.
The disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” This implies that prayer was not something they thought they could do well without Jesus’ instruction. As Jewish young men, the disciples had been brought up in the synagogue and the temple, where they had been taught to pray. A part of their ritual was to pray in the synagogue, so it would follow that they were at least exposed to reading prayers and repeating prayers. However, Jesus’ prayers were different from what they were used to. They saw that there was something distinct about them. Yes They prayed, but when He prayed (Jesus that is), He obtained results.
Here's a few examples to get you interested:
1. Jesus Prayed and a young boy's lunch suddenly was able to feed over 5000 people.
2. Jesus Spoke (or prayed) and a furious storm became calm Mark 4:39-41
3. Jesus Prayed and a man called Lazarus who had died walked/ hopped out of the grave
I could go on with the examples but i think you get the picture, Jesus had shown the disciples that Prayer was The ultimate thing they needed to learn from him. Imagine what you could do if you knew how to Pray like Jesus? If I was a betting man I would bet that you could change the world if you could Pray Like Jesus!!! I am sure the disciples thought the same, they thought if we could be like Jesus we can change the world and the thing they noticed about Jesus was that He prayed a lot and that he prayed first. The word of God shows us that often Jesus would go away early in the morning to Pray before doing anything else.
As we continue on this impactful journey of Prayer and Fasting - you will no doubt have gleaned from the name of the journey that Prayer is the Key to completing your Fasting journey. This week we shall look at how we can Pray and engage with God effectively in Prayer. Prayer is the game changer when it comes to fasting, It is what distinguishes Fasting from a Fad Diet or a Hunger Strike - Prayer is what puts the Power in Fasting, The power to Change and the Power to be steadfast in seeking after God.
Pastor Andre preached a Power message on Prayer yesterday, if you missed it take time to watch the message below from our You tube Channel.
Fasting Tip:
As you begin week number 2, go over what you are fasting from to refresh your mind. Remind yourself that this is your act of putting God First in your life this year. Check your reminders and make sure you have a reminder set at various points in the day to remind you to Pray - This will make the difference in your Prayer and Fasting Journey!