Jesus’ Suffering and Prayer: The Prayer Series

 

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. - (Hebrews 5:7-10 ESV)

The Father appointed Jesus as our high priest (Hebrews 5:5-6). He was tempted in every way like us, yet without sin ( Hebrews 4:14 - 16).

He suffered in agony while praying in the garden of Gethsemane. He suffered to the point that his capillaries burst in his head. He sweated drops of blood. Jesus was fully obedient to his Father’s will. 

“That Jesus “learned obedience” does not mean that he was disobedient and then became obedient. Rather, it means that Jesus followed fully and obediently the path of suffering the Father had designed for him.” (1)

Through prayer, He prepared himself to bear the sins of the world. This is beyond human comprehension. 

Reflecting on his ultimate sacrifice leaves me in awe and wonder. 

What a Savior!

Jesus’ consecration, piety, and reverence are a model for us in prayer. In the Gospels, we see him denying his flesh. He lived by every word that came from the mouth of his Father (Matthew 4:4). The devil's temptations were powerless over him in the wilderness and Gethsemane.

The serpent could not stop Jesus from finishing his assignment. 

Jesus, being fully God - did the unthinkable by becoming fully man (John 1:14).

Bible scholar, Craig Keener writes:

“Jesus’ participation in human suffering qualified him to be the ultimate high priest; the *Septuagint applies the word used here for “made perfect” to the consecration of priests.” (2)

The fact that we are sinful should not discourage us in prayer. Jesus is presently at the right hand of our Father in Heaven. Those who have surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus - are family now. We are the people of God with access to him through our high priest, Jesus. 

He prays for us so that we can, effectively pray for others. He knows all about our personal struggles and human weaknesses. He is for us. While we will never be sinless in this life, our goal with the help of the Holy Spirit - is to sin less.

We are called to live holy and consecrated lives. This is not religious legalism. It's a journey of allowing God to love us. To give Him the love, glory, and honor that he deserves. Jesus the “friend of sinners” is our Savior and friend. 

God is working in us to conform us into the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29) As followers of Jesus, we are called to deny ourselves those things in our lives, that are offensive to God. And to take up our own cross and follow him on the narrow path.

Scripture To Meditate on: 

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” - Matthew 7:13-14 ESV 

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” - Matthew 16: 24-26 ESV 

Prayer: 

“Pray like this:

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.”

 - Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)

(1) Zondervan Illustrated Backgrounds Commentary, Volume Four, Page 34

(2) The IVP Bible Background Commentary, New Testament, Craig S. Keener, p 646.

Hunger For God

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. - Matthew 4:6 NASB 1995 

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. The two little ones above were hatched in my family's yard a few years ago. This is a vivid picture of hungering and thirsting to be filled by a source other than ourselves. 

When we experience regeneration ( born again) - we immediately look to God for spiritual nourishment. The kingdom of heaven is made up of those with childlike dependent hearts. 

A sign of true hunger for God is our desire to read Scripture. It becomes a glorious obsession. 

The condition of our hearts determines what we get out of daily Bible reading. The Spirit is present to guide a humble obedient heart.

When we receive this gift of righteousness we develop a hunger and thirst for the Holy Spirit's transforming presence. God makes us righteous. Righteousness is received not earned (we don't deserve it). It begins as a legal transaction, but the Holy Spirit leads us in a lifelong process to become more like Jesus. The transactional becomes experiential. Although we never achieve sinless perfection in this life. We must not lose heart! God promises to conform us to the image of Christ - if we don’t give up. 

Another way to say it: God wants us to live a righteous life and do righteous acts. This kind of life can only happen when we totally trust Jesus. We start our salvation journey with faith in Jesus which leads us into the faith of Jesus. Which is complete confidence in the Father’s ability to provide.

God is attracted to those with childlike faith. He promises to draw near to those who draw near to him (James 4:8).

If you have lost your hunger and thirst for him - why not ask God for more? Jesus’ invitation still stands. He's knocking on the door of our hearts. He wants to fellowship with us. Are you tired? He will give you rest. True satisfaction is found in a life fully surrendered to Jesus.

God's Power Transforms Us

                                                     Addison's Walk 2023 

The Scripture:

 "To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." -  2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 ESV

A Reflection:

 Salvation is a gift from God; we do not earn or deserve it. The Father draws us to Jesus through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, opening our hearts to believe the gospel. We make a genuine choice (not salvation by works) when we repent and trust Jesus as the Lord of our lives.

Regeneration is the beginning of our spiritual journey. Through faith, God saves us and justifies us. 

I often hear that "God has a wonderful plan for our lives," and indeed, He does. His plan and purpose for us are to glorify Jesus. He gives us gifts and assignments to advance His kingdom and - to edify His Church,

While how-to books can be helpful, spiritual practices alone cannot equip us for ministry without God's power. We desperately need His presence. God created us for good works. Although we may resolve to do good, true spiritual transformation occurs when we live in union with Him.

He has given us spiritual practices to draw near to Him. Prayer, Bible study, fasting, fellowship, meditation, service, and contemplation are essential for spiritual growth. The key is to keep Jesus at the center of these practices.

We go astray when we focus on spiritual disciplines more than on God's abiding presence. With the abundance of how-to books available, it's easy to become overly focused on spiritual disciplines or the latest techniques we have read about. 

God’s power enables us to live life to the fullest when we understand that we can achieve nothing of eternal value without His presence. We are empowered by His presence.

**A Prayer:**

Father, make us worthy of Your calling. May our resolve to do good be accomplished by Your power, and may Jesus be glorified through our actions. 

In Jesus' name, Amen. 

Experiencing The Presence of God

 

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8 ESV)

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:4-5 ESV

Christianity is uniquely rational and mystical, historically accurate, and experiential. "Christ in you the hope of glory" is factual and can be perceived by our senses. All followers of Jesus have the spiritual capacity to "taste and see that the Lord is good."

The key to the Christian life is to stay connected to the Vine. The Apostle Paul writes: 

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." - Colossians 3:1-4 ESV

 

Our spiritual life flourishes when we realize we are in Christ and Christ is in us. The truth of being in Christ is both biblical and experiential. We can't earn God's manifest presence; we can only position ourselves spiritually to perceive Him.

A mind focused on Christ will attract the presence of the Holy Spirit. 

 

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." - Psalm 16:11 ESV

Joy can't be learned or earned; it can only be experienced. Joy is one of the benefits of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:11 ESV)

God gives us the means to experience his presence.

Some warn against meditation and contemplation, and rightly so. It's possible to fall into error if we lack truth and sound doctrine. Meditating on the truth of Scripture and praying it back to God (not emptying your mind) is a safe passage into God's presence. The focus of our meditation is Scripture. Our contemplation is on God himself. Meditation should lead to contemplation. Taking Communion (also referred to as the Eucharist)  deepens our experience with Christ.

Contemplating the cross of Christ, with the sobering realization that our sins necessitated his sacrifice, is a profound truth. Jesus is our source of strength, and the cross serves as his means to transform us. When we embrace it daily, the power of the cross revolutionizes our lives. On a practical level, the transformation into Christ-likeness is a lifelong process.

My Prayer:

"As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God." - Psalm 42:1

Wesley’s “Rules of the Band-Societies,” December 25, 1738.

John Wesley wrote his "Rules of the Band-societies," in 1738. Putting these rules into practice in Church small groups might be a good idea! Accountability and transparency among believers are needed like never before. It may seem a bit strict or legalistic to the modern mind. But why not try it? It could be life-changing. It could help us become more like Jesus. 

"The band meeting, a proven discipleship model for growing in love through the accountability of small, same-gender groups, was one of the defining characteristics of the Methodist movement started by John Wesley in the mid-1700s. In reflection on Wesley’s class meeting and band meeting structure, George Whitfield once said, “My Brother Wesley acted wisely, the souls that were awakened under his ministry he joined in class, and thus preserved the fruits of his labor. This I neglected, and my people are a rope of sand.”  - www.seedbed.com

                 John Wesley's Rules

"The design of our meeting is, to obey that command of God, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.”

To this end, we intend –

1. To meet once a week, at the least.
2. To come punctually at the hour appointed, without some extraordinary reason.
3. To begin (those of us who are present) exactly at the hour, with singing or prayer.
4. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state of our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought, word, or deed, the temptations we have felt, since our last meeting.
5. To end every meeting with prayer, suited to the state of each person present.
6. To desire some person among us to speak his own state first, and then to ask the rest, in order, as many and as searching questions as may be, concerning their state, sins, and temptations.

Some of the questions proposed to every one before he is admitted among us may be to this effect: —

1. Have you the forgiveness of your sins?
2. Have you peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ?
3. Have you the witness of God’s Spirit with your spirit, that you are a child of God?
4. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart?
5. Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you?
6. Do you desire to be told of your faults?
7. Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and that plain and home?
8. Do you desire that every one of us should tell you, from time to time, whatsoever is in his heart concerning you?
9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear, concerning you?
10. Do you desire that, in doing this, we should come as close as possible, that we should cut to the quick, and search your heart to the bottom?
11. Is it your desire and design to be on this, and all other occasions, entirely open, so as to speak everything that is in your heart without exception, without disguise, and without reserve?

Any of the preceding questions may be asked as often as occasion offers; the four following at every meeting: —

1. What known sins have you committed since our last meeting?
2. What temptations have you met with?
3. How were you delivered?
4. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not?
5. Is there anything you desire to keep secret?"