Prayer and the New Year

As I look back on the year and forward to the next, I have a legacy of prayer. I am assured of that because I have a prayer journals full of my prayer. They stretch back 10 year since I spent the summer of 1999 studying Beth Moore’s book on prayer, New Every Morning. It was a copy my sister in law bought for me after sitting in her class in Houston. It was the proto type for a later edition that was to be published as Whispers of Hope. The premise of the study was if we would pray and journal for 10 weeks or 70 days prayer would become a habit. If you are serious about a persistent and faithful prayer life I recommend her book.

I did this exercise with the hope of a fresh word; new breathe of life to be breathed into my prayer life. It has become a time of comfort and strength, not bad things but today I sense He wants to do a new work within the context of my prayer life so I am meditating on Jesus Christ and how he prayed.

From the Gospels I learned…
Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies.
Jesus taught that if we make a show of prayer, but do not live a life of love we will receive no reward or worse punishment.
Jesus taught us to pray in solitude, it was something he modeled.
Jesus taught us to pray in simple conversational language.
Jesus gave us a model for prayer.
Jesus prayed for others, he made it a point to pray for the children. So should we; our children, grandchildren and others. He prayed for his disciples present and future. We need to pray for the next generation.
Jesus prayed passionately for the church to be a place of worship.
Jesus taught us to pray with faith.
Jesus invited others to pray with him.
Jesus prayed with persistence. We should too.
Jesus taught us to watch and pray, to keep us from temptation and to strengthen the spirit in times of trial.
Jesus prayed to remove evil spirits.
Jesus taught if we want to be forgiven we must forgive. We should do this before we stand to pray (in front of other.)
Jesus taught about fasting and prayer.
Jesus prayed and revealed himself.
Jesus taught us to pray with humility.
Jesus prayed for Himself so should we.

The references:

Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies.
Matthew 5:44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Luke 6:28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Jesus taught that if we make a show of prayer, but do not live a life of love we will receive no reward or worse punishment.
Matthew 6:5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Mark 12:40They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."
Luke 20:47They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."

Jesus taught us to pray in solitude. He modeled that.
Matthew 6:6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 14:23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
Mark 1:35[ Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place ] 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 6:46After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
Luke 5:16But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 6:12[ The Twelve Apostles ] One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
Luke 22:41He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,

Jesus taught us to pray in simple conversational language.
Matthew 6:7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

Jesus gave us a model for prayer.
Matthew 6:9"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Luke 11:1[ Jesus' Teaching on Prayer ] 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 11:2He said to them, "When you pray, say: " 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

Jesus prayed for others, he made it a point to pray for the children. So should we; our children, grandchildren and others. He prayed for his disciples present and future. We need to pray for the next generation.
Matthew 19:13[ The Little Children and Jesus ] Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
John 17:6[ Jesus Prays for His Disciples ] "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.
John 17:9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
John 17:15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
John 17:20[ Jesus Prays for All Believers ] "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

Jesus prayed passionately for the church to be a place of worship.
Matthew 21:13"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.' "
Mark 11:17And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' ? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' "
Luke 19:46"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be a house of prayer' ; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.' "

Jesus taught us to pray with faith
Matthew 21:22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
Mark 11:24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours

Jesus invited others to pray with him.
Matthew 26:36[ Gethsemane ] Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
Mark 14:32[ Gethsemane ] They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
Luke 9:28[ The Transfiguration ] About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.
Luke 22:39[ Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives ] Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.

Jesus prayed not for his will to be done but the will of the Father.
Matthew 26:39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Mark 14:35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.

Jesus prayed with persistence. We should too.
Matthew 26:42He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
Matthew 26:44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
Mark 14:39Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.
Luke 18:1[ The Parable of the Persistent Widow ] Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Luke 22:44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Jesus taught us to watch and pray, to keep us from temptation and to strengthen the spirit in times of trial.
Matthew 26:41"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Mark 14:38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Luke 21:36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
Luke 22:40On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."
Luke 22:46"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."

Jesus prayed to remove evil spirits
Mark 9:29He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer. "
Jesus taught if we want to be forgiven we must forgive. We should do this before we stand to pray (in front of other.)
Mark 11:25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Jesus taught about fasting and prayer
Luke 5:33[ Jesus Questioned About Fasting ] They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."

Jesus prayed and revealed himself
Luke 9:18[ Peter's Confession of Christ ] Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"
Luke 9:29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.

Jesus taught us to pray with humility.
Luke 18:10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

Jesus prayed for Himself so should we.
John 17:1[ Jesus Prays for Himself ] After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: