Not My Will, but Yours (Mark 14:32-42)

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." (Mark 14:32)

Jesus was getting ready to face the most difficult day of his entire life.  He would face his accusers, be beaten, have a crown of thorns put on his head, carry his own cross, then have spikes driven into his hands and feet.  What did he do to prepare?  He prayed.

He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14:33-36)

Once again, Jesus shows us the most important purpose of prayer.  He adjusts his will to match The Father.  He prepares himself for his part of The Father's plan.  He needs to go to his death.  Had he not gone through with this moment, we would not have been saved.  I don't know about you, but I'm very grateful that he did.  Jesus died so that you and I may live.

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Couldn't you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:37-38)

Jesus prayed because he was being tempted to walk away from The Father's plan.  He encouraged Peter to pray because he was going to be tempted that night, too.  Peter was going to be tempted to "live by the sword" and stop Jesus from doing The Father's will.  Peter was also going to be tempted to run away when the crowd took Jesus away.  Finally, Peter was going to be tempted to deny he even knew Jesus...three times.  Peter ends up giving into these temptations.  Peter didn't prepare for this night.  Peter didn't pray.

Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!" (Mark 14:39-42)

Sometimes it takes quite a struggle to prepare for what God has in store for you.  Sometimes the struggle is with God - not figuring out His Will.  Sometimes the struggle is with yourself - not wanting to do His will.  Either way, we prepare for and live out these struggles in prayer.

How about you?  Do you learn God's will in times of prayer?  Do you struggle with God or yourself in times of prayer?  Do you prepare to live out God's plan for your life in times of prayer?

Prayer for Unity (John 17:1-26)

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. (John 17:1-5)

When Jesus prays here, he begins to share his heart.  We find out what is important to them: us.  It may not seem that way when we begin reading his prayer about being glorified.  It may seem like his prayer is all about him.  But it's not.

His prayer makes more sense when you understand The Father's plan with Jesus.  The Father will allow His Son to take the punishment of death to pay the penalty for people who have walked away from Him.  We, then, will be reconciled with The Father through the work of The Son.  The only way this reconciliation will happen, then, is if we recognize what The Son is doing.  We need to see His glory (as our Savior) and accept His authority (as our Lord) in order to be reconciled with The Father.  In other words, we have to see Jesus for who He is: Messiah, Savior, Lord, Son of God, and the "I Am."  Jesus needs to be glorified for our sake, that we may be saved.

"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. (John 17:6-9)

After praying that we will see His glory, Jesus begins praying for his disciples of the day.  He is remembering the hours and days of teaching he poured into them.  He is talking to The Father about the process of disciplining them which he had done.  He is getting ready to entrust them into The Father's care, because he will be be leaving soon.

All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. (John 17:10-12)

While he was here, Jesus protected his disciples from the enemy in a way similar to a shepherd protecting his sheep.  Only Judas Iscariot was lost.  We sheep can escape the care of Our Shepherd if we want.  We need to listen to Our Shepherd's voice.

"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:13-19)

Sanctification is the process of being made holy.  A fully sanctified person is someone who perfectly walks together with God.  Their thoughts are His thoughts.  Any other thought gets thrown away.  Their words are His words, being a gift to the hearer. Their actions are His actions, walking by The Spirit.  Jesus modeled this perfectly for his disciples.  He also explained it to them with words.  Now, his words and example will need to be enough.  He is leaving.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one-- I in them and you in me--so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)

His words and example will need to be enough for us, too.  He left them for us to read, understand, and follow.  When we do this, we will be one with Him.  Our unity with God will result in unity with one another as well.  The final result is this: the world will see God through us.  Our unity with God and one another will let the world know that God loves them.

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." (John 17:24-26)

Jesus prayed for you and for me - that the world will experience God's love through us.

How about you?  How does is feel to know Jesus prayed for you?  What thoughts go through your mind as you read his prayer for you?  Is your life an answer of "yes" to his prayers?  Are you sanctified (changed toward holiness) by His Word/Truth?  Are you one with Him and other believers?  Does your world see God's love through you?

Model Prayer (Luke 11:1-13)

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.” (Luke 11:1 NIV)

It didn't take long before his disciples noticed something different about Jesus, including his prayers.  Being a disciple means being a follower.  They wanted to learn from their teacher.  They asked him to teach.

He said to them, “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 NIV)

This model prayer, which we often call "The Lord's Prayer," is challenging to us all.  Take a moment to look at the concepts he is teaching his disciples here.  Don't just run through the prayer quickly as you memorized it.  Pay attention to what he is saying.

Prayer shouldn't be about going to God with our agenda.  It's about aligning our agenda with His.  His Kingdom will come here on earth only when His will is done in my life...and yours.  When we pray for His will to be done here on earth, Jesus is teaching us to align ourselves with His will in prayer.  He even teaches us to ask forgiveness for the times we do not align ourselves to His will, reminding us that others, like us, miss the boat at times as well.

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.  “So I say to you: 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 fathers, if your son asks fora fish, will give him a snake instead?Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?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 the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  (Luke 11:5-13 NIV)

When we align ourselves with God's will, we ask for things He wants.  Remember, God is the source of all that is good in life.  God wants to give us good gives.  Often times, though, we ask for things we think are good, but, in reality, are not.  When we align ourselves with Him in prayer, our requests start to be for the good of ourselves and others.  We start to look at the world through His eyes.  We start to understand, at least in part, the mind of God.

How about you?  Do you try to get God on your agenda or do you align yourself with God in prayer?  Have you spend time in His Word and prayer learning what He considers "good?"  Are you starting to understand the mind of God?

Joyful Prayer (Luke 10:1-24)

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. (Luke 10:1-2 NIV)

When Jesus prayed, it was focused on the will of The Father.  God wants to send out workers into the harvest field, so Jesus encourages the 72 to pray for those workers.  At the moment he was telling them this, Jesus was sending them out into the field AS the workers.  Jesus had the 72 praying for themselves.

People will often talk to me about concern in praying for themselves.  "I feel selfish," is usually the quote, "when I pray for myself.  So, I just pray for others."  This goes against the teachings and practice of Jesus, though.  He prayed for himself.  He encouraged his followers to pray for themselves.  It's not selfish to pray for God's will in your life.  The selfishness happens when you pray for stuff God doesn't want for you.

So, I would suggest worrying less about that fancy new house or car.  He already promised to provide if you seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness.  Instead, perhaps, talk to Him about your part in His plan.  Pray for ways you (not your spouse) can make your marriage better.  Pray for ways to built a better relationship with your children and grandchildren and how He wants you to raise them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.  Pray for His Wisdom in decision-making and prioritizing.  Pray for His clear direction, strength, and, when you are following His will, for His peace.  All of these things are praying for yourself, but in ways He encourages you to pray.

Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  (Luke 10:3-10 NIV)

Pray for God's Kingdom to come and His Will to be done here on earth just as it is in heaven.  Pray that it begins in you - your mind, your heart, your words, and your actions.  Pray for your part in His plan, moment by moment and day by day.

But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. "Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me." (Luke 10:11-16 NIV)

You are God's worker.  You are Christ's ambassador to the world.  He is ready to work in you to grow and through you to reach your world with His love.  You are not alone.  Billions of His followers are also working on His Team and His Body.  They are reaching out to their worlds at the same time you are reaching out to yours.  God will remind you of this in prayer.  Allow Him to give you encouragement, strength, and courage to continue your part in His plan.

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:17-20 NIV)

You may not see the fruit of your labor as quickly as the seventy two did, but your faithfulness will produce fruit - both in your own life and in the lives you touched.  Don't worry about the results.  You plant.  Another waters.  God causes the growth.  Different seed will fall on hearts with different kind of soil.  They control the condition of the soil.  God causes the growth. You keep planting good seed and watering it.  Rejoice, though, not in the "successes."  Rejoice that you're in The Garden and on His Team.

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. (Luke 10:21 NIV)

Don't be like the educated of Jesus' day who missed Jesus altogether.  Instead, be like little children learning from their Father.  Then, you will experience the fruit of His Spirit in your life.

"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." (Luke 10:22-24 NIV)

How about you?  Do you see?  Do you pray as Jesus did?  Do you pray for yourself?  How does God answer?

Morning Prayer (Mark 1:28-39)

News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. (Mark 1:28-31 NIV)

The miracles of Jesus are too numerous to mention in a couple of weeks.  Suffice it to say, it was a normal part of his pattern.  Miracles showed people that he was sent from God.  Often times he would use the miracle as evidence of another part about himself and his ministry.  Sometimes, he just helped a friend's mother-in-law get better.

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark 1:32-34 NIV)

These miraculous powers were certainly well known.  Jesus regularly drew large crowds because of them.  They weren't shocked by his ability to heal or cast out demons.  No, they were counting on it.  They followed him wherever he went, at least until they got the healing they needed.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35 NIV)

I love the fact that Jesus was not enamored by the crowds.  He didn't get his ego stroked by a good 5,000-man feeding.  He didn't try to fill a stadium full of people so those people could hear his voice.  No, his priorities were different.  Jesus cared first and foremost about doing the will of The Father.  He aligned himself with the father in prayer.

It may seem strange to talk about Jesus aligning himself with The Father.  After all, he was God wasn't he?  It's not all that strange, though, when you look at the rest of his life.  Jesus is God, but he limited himself physically to be in one place at a time like us.  Jesus is God, but he grew in wisdom and stature like us.  Only The Father, Jesus said, knows the day and the hour when Jesus will return.  Jesus humbled himself to become like one of us.  So, like us, he needed to pray to align himself with The Father.  Jesus needed to pray.  This helped him show us how to pray.

Prayer is simply conversation with God.  We can talk to God about anything we want.  He will listen.  We can argue, complain, give Him our wish list, praise Him, or bring Him any combination of topics and emotions.  They are all prayer.

Not all prayer, though, is equally productive.  Moses argued with God at the burning bush.  He didn't get his way.  Jonah ran from God and found himself in the belly of a fish.  Only after humbling himself in prayer did God have the fish spit Jonah out on the shore.  All conversation with God is prayer, but prayer should be about aligning ourselves with God.  The best prayers are the ones where we truly say, "thy will be done."

Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:36-39 NIV)

Jesus understood this.  He left his quiet time of prayer knowing what The Father wanted him to do that day.  The disciples wanted Jesus to return to the crowd.  Everyone hadn't been healed yet.  They all wanted him to hang out with them.  Jesus was well on his way to building the stadium full of fans.  Jesus wasn't interested.  He only cared about doing the will of The Father.  The Father wanted him to travel that day, so he left the crowd.  He traveled and did what The Father called him to do.

How about you?  Do you regularly go to God in prayer?  What do you talk about?  What do you ask from Him?  What does He ask of you?  Do you know?  Do you follow?