I woke up the other day with this thought: the disciples watched Jesus do all kinds of miracles. Cast our demons, heal the sick, multiply food, amaze the masses with his insight and teaching, but what did they ask the Lord to teach them?
How to pray.
Luke 11 begins with this question.
Jesus answer with what we now know to be “the Lord’s prayer.”
But of all the things they could’ve asked him, why prayer?
In today’s world, if we saw Jesus healing the sick, casting out devils, multiplying food, we’d have a book out, “How To Feed 5000 In Three Steps.”
Or, “Growing Your Congregation to 5000 With The Fellowship of Food.”
Am I right? Yes. We are so “do” oriented we forget all about the very thing that made Jesus and the disciples walk in miracles and devotion.
Prayer.
Sorry folks, there’s no way around it. Jesus is the corner stone of our foundation. Prayer is the tool that keeps us on the Rock.
In Matthew 6, Jesus even references the Gentiles praying. Seems everyone, Jew and Gentile, understood the power and purpose of prayer.
Jesus began his ministry after 40 days of prayer and fasting.
Pentecost happened after prayer and waiting on the Lord.
All through the New Testament, we see prayer as the avenue to miracles and revival. We see it through history.
Evan Roberts prayer for years before seeing the Welsh Revival.
My husband Tony and our friend Ted started a down town outreach after sowing seeds of prayer.
Doing is good, but far too often we leap over “being” because we are bored and impatient.
Lately, I’ve been asking the Lord to renew my heart and spirit of prayer. I want to be a woman of prayer as well as a woman of action.
I want my action to come out of prayer. Think how much time in our day we spend doing frivolous things: computer, tv., whatever. Not that we can’t do those things from time to time, but if you’re spending two hours a night on tv and computers, don’t tell me you don’t have time for prayer.
And I’m pointing the finger at myself as much as anyone. Prayer is critical. Look at our society. We are so mixed up, tangled up and confused prayer is the only thing that will straighten us out.
So, I’m devoting myself to prayer. Fasting. (ho boy) and believing God to do the rest.
***
Dream Interpretation
As part of the down town outreach, Ted Can-Have-A-Relationship-With-Anyone, set up a team to do dream interpretation at a local coffee shop.
I had my first chance this past Tuesday. It was awesome. We didn’t have many dreamers, so after we did a few of the shop customers, we practiced with each other.
I love doing this. It seems so easy and fun. I’ve been praying Daniel 1:17 for myself, so I’m stepping out now in writing and dream interpretting to give God a chance to glorifiy Himself through me!
I’ll keep you posted. This was only our second week, but the owner is very excited to have us come around.
Comments 3
I want to be a woman of prayer as well as a woman of action.
I want my action to come out of prayer.
K: Amen, sister. Me, too. Great post!
Thanks Rachel, I’m laboring to make prayer a priority in my life too. Grandma and I are studying the book “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn – AMEN that we will not be leaving earth but Jesus and the Father will be with us in the New Earth and New Heaven. Just look around at His creation and realize that it is going to be thousands time more beautiful than it is now.
Love Mom
This is an awesome post, Rachel.Prayer is such an important element in our very beings.
I’ve been having some disturbing dreams lately and usually that either means I’m working through something or some sort of change involving myself is coming.
How does this “dream” interpretation work that you were doing? Interesting! And a great bridge in outreach. Worked for Daniel and Joseph, huh? Anyway, I’ve been writing down some of the dreams, trying to see what my mind is working on.