The Wilderness & Personal Prayer
Although it would seem difficult, in light of previous discourses, to find very much more to contemplate with respects to Hebraic prayer … it must be noted that despite the very personal and intimate aspects that we examined respective to "Messianic ritual prayer" … we do in fact have more B'rit Chadasha records to review regarding Messiah Yeshua and personal prayer.
Although it might have appeared to some that our previous reviews answered the question of "how we should pray" … such was really not the case … as we shall see!
Matthew (3:1-3) In those days came Yochanan the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. …
Matthew (14:22-23) And straightway Yeshua constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Luke: (6:7-12) And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Yeshua unto them, I will ask you one thing; is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Yeshua. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to ELOHIM.
Matthew (26:36-44) Then cometh Yeshua with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and says unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then says he unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and finds them asleep, and says unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Luke: (22:39-46) And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
Matthew: (3:13-4:3) Then cometh Yeshua from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and come thou to me? And Yeshua answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Yeshua, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of G_D descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Then was Yeshua led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungered. And when the tempter came to him,
John (9:28-31) 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. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: who appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
Commentary:
As the Holy Scriptures depict the "wilderness experience" … the personal prayer dynamic experienced by the Psalmist, appears to be a fundamental element of the B'rit Chadasha.
Initially we see wherein Yochanan the Immerser … the one raised up and blessed to present Messiah Yeshua to Israel … is in fact a man of the wilderness. Like the prophets of old we see Yochanan communing with G_D in the desolate places … the places wherein he confronts G_D with no distractions … those secret places where all is made bare before G_D … the same kind of places where the Psalmist's heart and soul went in his pursuit of G_D.
And not surprisingly we see a variety of recorded events (some excerpted herein) wherein Yeshua, in similar fashion, retreated to a wilderness place to be alone with G_D.
With these examples we see Yeshua retreating to the wilderness for: personal introspection; submission; strengthening; testing and uplifting. Ultimately we see Yeshua the man being refined by G_D so that he could perfectly understand the will of the Father as a human … as Messiah and submit his own flesh to G_D's will in order to perfectly achieve the messianic mission reserved only for him.
And let us not for one moment delude ourselves into thinking that these activities by our LORD were strictly for show or historical posterity. Forty days and nights of prayer and fasting … agonizing over the cup of pain and sorrow destined for him alone … which is G_D's wrath upon humanity!
Can we even attempt to comprehend the spectrum of physical, emotional and spiritual stress that our dear LORD took upon himself so that we could be spared G_D's wrath … so that we could be justified before G_D?
If within our hearts we can but for a moment empathize with and share the resonance of the Psalmist's soul … if for a moment we can remember our fears and agonizing pain regarding our own sinful state … if for a moment we can call to memory the hopes that our trust in the LORD brings us; then let us consider the fact that Messiah Yeshua would receive no temporal mercy … that Messiah Yeshua suffered not just the burden of the sins of the world but became what is completely contrary to his holy nature … sin itself.
The point dear reader is that the spectrum of physical, emotional and spiritual resonance experienced by Yeshua is beyond our own human comprehension … in that what Yeshua had to endure … had to achieve … was a human experience reserved solely for him as Messiah and the Word of G_D made flesh!
This being stated however we as his progenies should not only expect but pursue as best we can this range of intimate personal states/resonance … simply so that we know him better … so that we have a more solid foundation with which to understand what he has done for us … so that we can more intimately praise and worship him.
"Oh great ELOHIM of all that ever was … is … and will be; what is man that you consider us? What is man that you would send to the sacrificial altar the only begotten Son … on our behalf? How is it great ELOHIM that humanity, first made in your image and likeness, has been gifted with salvation as part of your restoration plan for your creation … the works of your very hands? We praise you ELOHIM for the gift of Messiah Yeshua and we ask, even within the joy of redemption that you heal our pain and hearts that are broken pondering what Messiah endured which was rightfully due to us … due to me! We ask as we ponder our awesome Messiah that we be gifted with his own joy … his own shalom in overcoming the world and share in his glory as we reflect back to him his own light … as we pour out upon him our spirit and heartfelt love, adoration and worship! Yeshua … we owe you everything … bless your forever and ever!"
In many respects, like the Psalmist, our own struggles and our own wilderness experiences serve to have us die with him … die in him so that we can take on the new individual as a creation of and in Yeshua.
As previously declared herein there is assuredly risks associated with the wilderness experience … but as we can see as well this same wilderness experience is what refines us towards the image and likeness that the "Maker" has designed us to be … it is simply part of the process that we all must endure … just our Progenitor Yeshua did!
But … as we can also clearly see this same wilderness contains for us untold blessings that our LORD promises us. Just like Yeshua was greeted by the Father's approval upon praying and undergoing the ritual water immersion (baptism) … we too seek the approval of our Progenitor and long to hear "well done good and faithful servant"!
Even more so we see in John chapter nine the promise of glorification with Messiah for overcoming the olam hazeh (this temporal world) and being counted worthy to life in Messiah.
So let us for a moment ponder and attempt to capture the resonance associated with such bliss, joy and total shalom … please dear reader … go ahead and smile right now knowing what G_D desires for us and knowing to what awesome lengths he has gone to make this possible.
Ultimately what we see in the B'rit Chadasha wilderness experiences is the Hebraic pattern of deep and introspective personal prayer as depicted within the Psalms. We should see a pattern of personal interaction with G_D that lays everything out on the table … we bring everything to G_D regardless if we are up or down … regardless if we are on top or at the bottom. And we should expect and pray that G_D through his Ruach HaKodesh immensely amplify our physical, emotional and spiritual resonance.
Despite our Western culture and attitude that frowns upon emotional outpouring and the unreliable nature of emotional living … we should realize that we are emotional because G_D made us this way … because G_D is emotional and we are made in his image and likeness.
To this extent let us not think that our emotional outpouring is reserved solely for the wilderness experience either. When Yeshua cried when coming to the tomb of Lazarus he was truly in mourning and genuinely sharing the heartache of the family and indeed the loss of his own dear friend! When Yeshua felt compassion for the lepers and their woeful condition he simply did not feel sorry for them but rather his heart broke for them.
What we learn from our Messiah is that what we encounter in the wilderness is designed to carry over into our lives! This same resonance that is experienced … gifted to us by G_D … during these wilderness experiences is designed to refine and mold us for active living … designed to integrate our personal prayer life into our personal public life.
Let us chew on this for a while understanding that G_D wants the world to not just see his will for humanity through us but G_D also wants the world to experience his own heart through us!
As we should be able to clearly see from the Biblical record, Yeshua did in fact on numerous occasions "show the disciples" how to pray. We see Yeshua exhorting the disciples to go into their "prayer closet". We see Yeshua exhorting the disciples not to make any type of spectacle with their prayers. We see Yeshua exhorting the disciples to "do as he did and go deep" so that they also could hear the will of the Father for their own lives.
In great Rabbinic fashion we should be able to the Master Rebbe showing his disciples … showing us … how to really pray!
We see Yeshua showing us how he has become the focus of our prayers … the ritual and the personal!
So now we perhaps should get a better feel for what Yeshua instructed us to pray for … beyond discerning the will of the Father!
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What To Pray For
Mark (11:25-26) And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Matthew (24:15-22) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (who so reads, let him understand) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Mark (13:32-37) But of that day and that hour knows no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Luke (21:34-38) And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives. 21:38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.
John: (14:15-18) If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but ye know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Luke (11:11-13) If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Matthew (6:9-13) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our transgressions, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
Commentary:
Collectively it would seem apparent that our LORD has given us a very concise menu of items that should be on the priority list with respects to our prayer life. We see direct instruction with regards to:
1. Praying about our plight in the olam hazeh and the tribulation that we will surely face … and the devastation this tribulation will have on the blessings that G_D gives to us!
2. Praying that G_D satisfy our daily living requirements … that G_D sustain us!
3. Praying that we be forgiven for our own transgressions and sins!
4. Praying that we remain close to G_D and do not get sucked into the cares and ways of the olam hazeh!
5. Praying for diligent vigilance as it pertains to our life in G_D … pray against complacency!
6. Praying for submissive obedience … to remaining in a covenantal relationship with G_D!
7. Praying for receipt of G_D's Holy Spirit!
8. Praying that Messiah come to us!
9. Praying that G_D keep us from the evil one … hasatan!
10. Praying for our very souls in the hopes that we can withstand the coming judgment of Messiah himself!
As we review this list of prayer priorities it would seem apparent that Yeshua's concern for us runs deeply with the ultimate focus of our prayer life being centered upon having us retain our faith by cleaving to G_D in total hope and trust … knowing full well that the road ahead is wrought with all sorts of tribulation, danger and temptation.
As we ponder Yeshua's grave concern for our very souls just perhaps we can gain more appreciation for the parable which he gave to us regarding the sower of seeds:
Matthew (13:1-23) The same day went Yeshua out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spoke many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. … Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and with joy receives it; yet hath he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becomes unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
It would seem apparent that Yeshua, who knows the hearts of persons and is well aware of the forces that confront the believer, wants us to be absolutely prepared … always … even if indeed we personally believe that we are in a good relationship with G_D … even if we think we are doing G_D's will …
Matthew (7:21-23) Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (torahlessness).
So we know that we need to stay on guard (Shema Israel) and that we need to really remain close to G_D at all times. We should also put some thought into the declarations of the sower parable which point towards producing fruit … in a Hebraic perspective doing G_D's will through righteous conformance of the sacred commandments. Just as well we need to consider the so called iniquity in Matthew 7:23. The actual word is not really "iniquity" but literally "lawlessness" … or in other words working against or making null G_D's Torah!
Although most people reading Holy Scriptures may not see the underlying concerns of Messiah as something to be afraid of … it is the opinion of this commentator that it is because of just these instructions from Messiah that Sha'ul (Paul) instructs us to work out our salvation in "fear and trembling". Oh most assuredly Sha'ul is instructing us that we should have a reverent fear and awe of G_D … but perhaps Sha'ul knows something else … perhaps Sha'ul knows that it is not difficult to go adrift and meander off of the straight and narrow path? Hmmm!
In any event it becomes quite evident that what Yeshua instructs us to pray for in many respects is in fact exactly what David prayed for. Just like the Psalmist we pray for our very souls to the One that can actually deliver us from oblivion!
So … are we praying for the right things? If not we surely can't blame Yeshua because his instructions seem to be rather concise and to the point!
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