"LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY"

Luke 11:1

Morning Meditation 1/1/17

Verse 1 says, "And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."

The disciples were amazed at the Lord's prayers. I do not know if they heard Him or if they just witnessed the effect of His prayers on his countenance. But they were so taken up with His prayer time that they " . . .. said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."

I have enjoyed reading the pulpit prayers of Joseph Parker. This man knew how to pray. His pulpit prayer's that were included in a lot of his published sermons are an enjoyment to me. It is like hearing a deep theological lecture to listen to him talk to the Lord. I want to give you an example. This one is taken from The Peoples Bible vol. 8, page 261.

"ALMIGHTY GOD, thou art a Spirit. Thou art the King-eternal, immortal, invisible; the only wise God. Thou didst send thy Son to die for us, and rise again, and teach us thy will, and bid us welcome to the feast of thy love. We did scornfully entreat him. We stoned the prophets from the beginning, and thy Son we slew, and hanged on a tree. But we knew not what we did: who can tell what he is doing at any time, or follow out his action to all its issues? Who can follow his own words, and tell where they beat and throb, and where their influence ends? We know not all we do. We bless thee that our ignorance is herein our privilege. May it never deter us from zealous action; but fearlessly, lovingly, with full trust upon the living God, may we go forward to do our duty as we may be able to discharge it, knowing that we do not see all, we cannot measure all, we can follow ourselves but a very little way. We are multiplying ourselves a thousandfold every day so that at last each man may be found to be as a great multitude. This

is the way of the Lord; this is the plan of the Most High; thou wilt carry it on, and none can stay thy hand. We will say, therefore, with our whole heart's love, The will of the Lord be done. But remembering how we multiply ourselves, may we be careful about ourselves lest we multiply that which is evil, and grieve the Spirit of the Most High. Give us understanding of truth, righteousness, and all goodness; and understanding these things may we follow after them, with ever-burning zeal, with religious hopefulness, with completeness of piety and devotion. We bless thee for all thy care of us. Thou dost nurse us as if we were little children: what other are we to thee, Eternal One, but children of yesterday--poor, frail, ignorant, dying, yet having on us the seal of divinity? Continue thy care, and train us up into all strength and nobleness, and make us perfect men in Christ Jesus. This is thy purpose concerning us, that we should be men in understanding, in comprehension of truth, in loyalty to the throne of God. When our sorrows are many, when our eyes are blinded by tears, when the whole horizon is one frowning cloud, then let the Lord come to us, mighty to save. When heart and flesh do fail, then be thou the strength of our heart, and our portion forever. Keep us in the enjoyment of a contented spirit. Make us strong in recollection, clear in reminiscence; may no line of gracious interposition fade from our memory, and having full knowledge of what God did yesterday we shall proceed into the mystery of tomorrow with a calm heart and with a rational intrepidity. The Lord hear us, multiply his comforts toward us, make us glad by the nearness of his presence, and when we reel and totter, or show signs of weakness, one touch of thine hand will bring back our strength and settle us in our love and in our purpose. Amen." --A Pulpit Prayer by Joseph Parker

I will never be able to say it the way Joseph Parker did. His oratory comes out in his prayers. I do not think God is impressed with oratory. However, it is not wrong for an orator to pray. He has as much right as WE do. The thing that impresses me about his prayers as much or more than the language is the depth of understanding the Scripture. When one is in the pulpit praying, he does not stop and say to his congregation, "Pardon me, I need to go check out my theology on this next sentence of my prayer before I say it!" This man was soaked in Scripture. This is necessary as we develop in our relationship with God.

The disciples were drawn to ask Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray." There five things about the Lord's praying that should teach us.

FIRST, PRAYER IS COMMUNION AND FELLOWSHIP. Prayer to the Lord was first of all communion. When Jesus entered the presence of His Father in prayer He did not have to say, "Father, this is your Son." He was known at the throne. His prayers were, first of all, a time of communion, fellowship and worship. In the model prayer that follows this request in our text, Jesus taught His disciples to pray like this: "Our Father which art in heaven, Hollowed be thy name . . ." Now in that phrase we have the ACKNOWLEDGED RELATIONSHIP (our Father), the BRIDGED DISTANCE (art in heaven), and THE HOLY REVERENCE (Hollowed be thy name).

Luke 9:28-29 says, "And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering." You will notice that our Lord's communion with His Father literally transformed Him into the manifest Shekinah glory of God. I believe there is a lesson in this beyond the mere prophetic lesson with reference to the future kingdom. When we enter the holiest through the blood of Christ, we enter first to commune with and worship our Father. We bear His name. We are in His family. We are possessed by His nature. We have been purchased by His blood. We are pilgrims from another world. When we pray we leave this world and enter the holiest in heaven itself (Hebrews 10:19) and there worship the Father before the throne. One can't stay the same and do this. Hallelujah! Someone hold my mules!

SECOND, PRAYER IS LISTENING.. When Jesus prayed, He listened to the Father. John 5:20, Jesus says, "For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel." Then again is verse 30 He says, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."

When did Jesus receive this instruction from His Father? Isaiah tells us: "The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back" (Isa. 50:4-5). Notice in these two verses: The GIFT OF THE FATHER (hath given me the tongue of the learned), the WISDOM OF THE FATHER (that I should know how to speak. . .), the WORK OF THE FATHER (The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear . . . ), and the OBEDIENCE OF THE SON (and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back).. Prayer is listening. We are not to do all the talking. There needs to be a time of silent waiting upon the Lord to speak. He does speak through His Word to His people.

THIRD, PRAYER IS REQUESTING. He taught us to pray, "Give us day by day our daily bread . . ." (Luke 11:3). Jesus says in Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." James says, ". . . ye have not because ye ask not" (James 4:2). Prayer is requesting. There are many things that we need to carry on His work in this world. Those things are available to the one who prays.

FOURTH, PRAYER IS INTERCEDING. To intercede for another is to stand in his place before the throne of God and pray in his behalf. An illustration of this is found in Exodus 32 where Moses intercedes for Israel. His prayer of intercession was successful and Israel was sparred. Jesus intercedes for us today in heaven (Heb. 7:25). We need to intercede for those who need help and don't know it. He taught us to pray for our enemies. They need His help and many times they don't even know it. Prayer includes intercession for others.

FIFTH, PRAYER IS TRUSTING. When Jesus prayed at the grave of Lazarus, He prayed, " . . . Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 11:41-42). Jesus thanks the Father for raising Lazarus before Lazarus is raised. This is what you call faith. It is not only believing He can do it, but also, that He will. Prayer must be prayed in FAITH NOTHING DOUBTING.

The disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray . . ." Amen.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White