Jesus Teaches on Prayer and More

PRAYER PRACTICE

Lectio – Read today’s passage through once. Then spend some time praying and asking God to show you what you need to pay attention to in the text. Read it again. Now ask God to help you see what this text, and the part that has stood out, may mean for you. Don’t expect to get a clear word every time but always be ready to really hear from God through His Word.

DAILY READING

 Luke 11:1-36

DEVOTIONAL REFLECTION

by Nancy Gleeson

Prayer and Our Faith Life

When I was a new believer, I would take my questions about scripture to some of my Sisters in Christ. As I matured in faith, I took pride in being the one to dispel my well thought out insights to enlighten others. Now I am sophisticated enough to contribute to this church blog for the membership to study as daily meditation. My, but haven’t I come a long way?!

Actually, I am really no further along than when I started this walk except that I may have developed a sense of pride and self-sufficiency; both very bad things to possess. It is because of these characteristics that I may not ask others for help. I may not ask Jesus to teach me to pray. I might just keep saying my blessing before dinner and repeating the Lord’s Prayer during church service without truly meaning the words that I pray.

Jesus teaches us to pray for our daily bread, not because any one of us really has trouble getting enough to eat, but because we are to ask God for our most basic needs. It is good to remain aware of how God cares for us. We aren’t to call upon God only when we have a big ASK. Instead, we can focus on the incremental changes we need to make to be more useful to Him (or in service to those we love). Ask Him to increase our desire for such things. Ask Him to equip us to grow in ways that don’t simply protect and promote ourselves first.

Consider: Prayer isn’t a tool to get what we want from God. It is a way to get God’s will accomplished in us and all around us. It requires faith because we must see God as Our Father. It requires hope in His love for His Kingdom Come.

 “When you pray, say:

“‘Father, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

    for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.’”  Luke 11:2-4

What is the remedy for UNBELIEF?

Mark 9:17-29

New believers, and even those who possess strong faith, often have sincere questions and doubt about what to believe. Jesus said that unbelief needs prayer! Praying gives God the opportunity to fill our spirit, which makes less room for fear or evil to exist! Being spiritually fed strengthens us with the power of the Holy Spirit who equips us to battle spiritual warfare.


Prayer seems to be the basis for casting out evil spirits as well as preventing them from taking hold. In today’s scripture, the father asks for Jesus to help his sick son but then admits to Jesus that he struggles with his faith. I am amazed by his honesty!

Prayer helps with unbelief. We need our Heavenly Father. We need to spend time with Him in prayer because we possess a deficient spiritual immune system. The remedy is closeness with God.

blog by Nancy Gleeson

As Jesus said, “That kind can come out only by prayer”! (Mark 9:29)

Discuss what characterizes “unbelief”?

What do you consider prayer to be? Worship, music, fellowship, bible study...

Barbie Jeeps and the Prayer of Faith

Matthew 21:21

God is good.

All the time.

Go back and read that again.

No, seriously.

Now read it again. Actually pause over each of those first two sentences and ask yourself this question:

“Do I believe this?”

When I was young, maybe eight years old, I used to pray to God and make my requests as I imagine most children do—new bike, Barbie jeep, make my sister less annoying…you get the picture.

And when some of these prayers didn’t get answered the way I’d hoped, I began to doubt that God actually cared, or that he wanted to give me “good gifts” like he said in Scripture (I decided that when he said that, he just obligated himself to give me everything I wanted).

But no matter. I was a creative cat, so I figured out how I was going to outsmart God: I would just pray for the opposite of the things I wanted, since God seemed interested in saying “no” to a lot of my prayers. I asked God to make sure he didn’t give me any new toys, and that my sister would become more annoying. I was so proud of myself for being so brilliant!

Listen, God knows our hearts. And he knew mine at eight years old. He knew that my prayer was in faith of the wrong thing. My sister didn’t get less annoying, and I still didn’t get that Barbie Jeep. See, I fell into the trap of wanting to believe that I had a God who would give me everything I wanted in my selfishness instead of believing that I had a God who was good.

And believe me:

God. Is. Good.

He moves mountains of distrust and fear between people all the time.

He stills the seas of torment in souls that are mired in shame.

He delivers people from lifestyles of depravity, and societies from systems of injustice.

He brings souls to life.

I can place my faith in a God like that.

(And by the way, God actually did make my sister less annoying...once I stopped being so impatient with her) :)

The Healing Touch of Christ

Matthew 14:34-36

I love this passage, this small glimpse into Jesus' ministry, because it speaks of a deep truth that is still so relevant to our lives and walks of faith to this day: an interaction with Jesus brings healing.

About two years ago, I went on a spiritual retreat weekend that our church puts on called Women's Bootcamp. A lot of the focus of this retreat is digging into past, unhealed wounds that you've been living with and the effects they've caused. It was hard, painful, beautiful work that I did with the Lord, and I came out the other side not only further along a path of healing that I didn't even know existed, but deeper in relationship with Jesus than I even knew possible.

Confronting your wounds is not easy, but I wonder if it might be simpler then we anticipate if we open ourselves up to Jesus and his healing touch. We as humans tend to bury our wounds, hide them. We think they make us weak, or we think they're not worth our time, or that we can handle anything on our own. It is hard for us to face them, but it's not hard for Jesus to heal them. It may take time, yes, and prayer, and maybe even counseling or other outside help, but it's the interactions with Jesus that will bring us ultimate healing.

Do you have wounds that aren't healed? Maybe one's you've been ignoring for years? Invite Jesus' healing touch into the most painful places in your heart.
What have been the effects of those wounds? What lies might you be listening to because of them, and what are God's truths that you know counteract those lies?
We are the body of Christ, come together to care and support. If you are hurting, from an old wound or a new one, spend some time in prayer today asking for healing, and then reach out to someone, a pastor or a friend, and seek prayer and comfort. Jesus is with you always.

My Lifeline

2 Samuel 7:18 (NIV)
¹⁸  Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

The scripture today finds David sitting (abiding) with the Lord. He is claiming, with great humility, just how stunned he is at the goodness of God. He is praising his Lord by asking, how it is possible that such a great God would trouble himself with a sinner such as he (David).

2 Samuel 7:19 (NIV)
¹⁹  And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD?




Do I ever approach the throne with such an attitude? Do I acknowledge how unworthy I am and how great and awesome is the Lord? This may sound like 'buttering up," but if the heart is in the right condition, this is the proper way to come before God. Humility and honesty are traits God wants to instill, traits He wants to see us practice.

Prayer is too often focused on meeting our own needs, when prayer is so much more. Prayer is how I build a strong relationship with my Lord. Prayer and reading His Word are how I learn about God's heart; it is where I learn to be like Jesus and what that means for my life.

This week I am going to take a better look at my prayer life, my style of prayer requests, and how I view this thing called prayer. I am going to Praise Him and I am going to be more deliberate and open when talking to God. I want to build a better relationship with Him so that I can build a better relationship with others.

2 Samuel 7:18-29

Pray Earnestly

Acts 12:5-12

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying for him (v. 5).  Have you ever been part of a group that was earnestly praying for something or maybe you’ve been the recipient of earnest prayer?  Either way, it’s a powerful thing and I can only imagine Peter felt that power.

In the case of today’s scripture, the outcome was intense and timely.  Peter was freed the night before Herod was to bring him to trial.  At first, Peter wasn’t sure what was happening, but he eventually realized he was being rescued by an angel.  When the soldiers woke up and the guards realized that Peter was gone, they were dumbfounded at what had happened.  To the church it was a miraculous answer to prayer.  Miracles, while amazing, are a reality for the Lord.  Nothing is impossible for Him.

Now, the tough part comes when you pray and don’t get the miracle you’re hoping for.  It doesn’t always make sense, but in Peter’s case, the outcome was exactly what the church needed.

And after he was freed, Peter went to the house of Mary and what did he encounter? - Many friends praying.  They were excited to see Peter walk in the door.  Their prayers had been answered!  But after hugs and handshakes, I’m guessing they went back to praying.  That’s the thing with prayer, it’s always needed.  Once it’s answered – whether exactly the way you want or not – there’s always something else to pray for.  So, keep on praying and see what wonders it can do.

Making Prayer Powerful and Effective in Your Life

By Thomas Denegre

Do you want your prayer life to be powerful and effective? Don’t you want your prayers to be so simple like Jesus’, that with one-word God will answer it? Here’s how to stand tall like an oak tree with the power of Holy Spirit flowing through you.

Today’s reading comes from Mathew 7:8-11 where Jesus states;

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Mathew 7: 8-11

Jesus is instructing us how to use expectant prayer in our lives.  Much like a dance it requires both
partners to work together in harmony for top performance. Having been a leader in the Kairos Prison Ministry for two decades and serving on prayer and healing teams, here are a few insights on effective prayer.

It first starts with the right belief foundation or framework.  Jesus calls us to live in life union with him and to have his words live powerfully within us to obtain our desires (John 15:7), and “to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus and his words must live top in our mind, so it comes first in our lives.  It is critical that you first identify yourself as a son of God, so all thoughts are centered on Him.  You should consider yourself first a disciple of Christ who happens to be perform an occupation, versus working in an occupation who happens to think of God occasionally. 

By having our heart joined in love with Jesus, we can trust his word and promises to always be true and effective.  We are called to have 100% faith in his word which requires us to taste and eat his words. For it is written,

·         “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:35

·         “The word of the Lord abides forever.” 1 Peter 1:25

·         “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8

As children of God we will receive the full faith, love, trust, and security when we open our hearts to receive his love. Humility is the open pathway of channeling God through us and onto others.  Pride, self-centeredness, intellectualism, and solipsism (the view that the self is all that can be known to exist.) is our enemy.  Our downfall comes when we depend on our performance and bank account, versus the power of God. Therefore, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. 111:10); "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Prov. 1:7). Wisdom and knowledge, not intellectualism, allows you to be open, teachable, and productive to the Lord.

Feelings are another dangerous roadblock to effective prayer. Jesus stated we are to believe and have faith in God; not emotions.  A famous story tells of the Roman centurion who went to Jesus to heal his servant whom was in a distant place.  The Centurion knew, and not felt, that based on Jesus’s authority and power alone, Jesus could command the servant to be healed.  “When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” Mathew 8:5 

Just as a policeman knows, and not feels, he has authority to perform his work, we too, must know and act in the same way.  As a son of God, we have received the full blessings and authority (Ephesians 1:3) to act on the behalf of God.  For example, in Mark Chapter 11, a corrupted fig tree fooled Jesus, so Jesus cursed it and killed it. A day later the disciples saw the tree was dead.  Jesus responded by stating;

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:22-26

Jesus calls us to have faith in God to fulfill our prayer.  It’s important for us to know the five blockers of our faith.  If you pressed your fist into your other hand, you’ll have resistance.  On the resisting hand are the five fingers of resistance called fear, unbelief, doubt, unforgiveness, and unrepentance.  The other hand represents your faith.  If you remove the five fingers of resistance, then you’ll remove all resistance to your faith allowing pure faith to pass through uninterrupted. Hence the reason Jesus stated; “…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Mathew 17:20

It is pure faith that allows the Holy Spirit to channel his power unhindered, that can move the mountains of bad thoughts, mental strongholds, diseases, illnesses, injuries, and demonic influence in people’s lives.  Pure faith consists of a humble heart living in life union with Jesus who is teachable to the Lord; has full confidence and trust in the Lord and His word; is filled with courage and wisdom, and is dependent on the Holy Spirit to flow through him and onto others.   Pure faith ensures the heart is not poisoned with unforgiveness nor loaded down with unrepentant sins.   Lastly, we will always trust God to deliver what is needed and not necessarily what is wanted. By his word, power, and grace, we know our generous Father seeks to give us the best so we may enjoy an abundant life in His Kingdom. (John 10:10)