Why did Jesus pray if He is God?

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Matthew 6:9
"Jesus, as part of the Holy Trinity, is indeed God. Yet, when He took

on human form in the incarnation, He fully embraced humanity, which included a dependency on communication with the Father. 

His prayers exemplify His reliance on the Father and the Holy Spirit. By praying, Jesus showed His followers an example of a proper relationship with God, one that is based on communication, submission, and dependence." 

EvergrowingChristian

Our first prayer....

Praying always. Ephesians 6:18

"WHAT multitudes of prayers we have put up from the first moment when we learned to pray. 

Our first prayer was a prayer for ourselves; we asked that God would have mercy upon us, and blot out our sin. 

He heard us. 

But when He had blotted out our sins like a cloud, then we had more prayers for ourselves. We have had to pray for sanctifying grace, for constraining and restraining grace; we have been led to crave for a fresh assurance of faith, for the comfortable

-- application of the promise, 

--for deliverance in the hour of temptation, 

--for help in the time of duty, 

--and for succour in the day of trial. 

We have been compelled to go to God for our souls, as constant

beggars asking for everything. Bear witness, children of God, you have never been able to get anything for your souls elsewhere. 

All the bread your soul has eaten has come down from heaven, and all the water of which it has drank has flowed from the living rock—Christ Jesus the Lord. 

Your wants were innumerable,---He has heard you in the day of trouble, has strengthened you, and helped you, even when you dishonored Him by trembling and doubting at the mercy-seat. Remember this, and let it fill your heart with gratitude to God, who has thus graciously heard your poor weak prayers."

Charles Spurgeon

Puritan Corner - Heart & Prayer

“In prayer, it is better to have heart without words, than to have words without heart.”
by John Bunyan (1628-1688)
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not Thy peace at my tears.... Psalm 38:12

For this child I prayed

For this child I prayed.
1 Samuel 1:27

"Devout souls delight to look upon those mercies which they have obtained in answer to supplication, for they can see God's especial love in them. 

When we can name our blessings Samuel, that is, asked of God, they

will be as dear to us as her child was to Hannah. 

Hannah's one heaven-given child was dearer far, because he was the fruit of earnest pleadings. 

Q: Did we pray for the conversion of our children? 

How doubly sweet, when they are saved, to see in them our own petitions fulfilled! 

Better to rejoice over them as the fruit of our pleadings than as the fruit of our bodies. 

It is always best to get blessings into our house in the legitimate way, by the door of prayer; then they are blessings indeed, and not temptations. 

Even when prayer speeds not, the blessings grow all the richer for the delay; The gift came from heaven, let it go to heaven. Prayer brought it, gratitude sang over it, let devotion consecrate it. 

Q: Reader, is prayer your element or your weariness? 

Q: Which?" 

Charles Spurgeon

Prayer of Asa

"The faith of Asa was put to a severe test when "Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots," invaded his kingdom. 2 Chronicles 14:9. 

In this crisis Asa did not put his trust in the "fenced cities in Judah" that he had built, with walls, and towers, gates, and bars, nor in the "mighty men of valor" in his carefully trained army. Verses 6-8. 

The king's trust was in Jehovah of hosts, in whose name marvelous deliverances had been wrought in behalf of Israel of old. Setting his forces in battle array, he sought the help of God.

Having sought the Lord in the days of prosperity, the king could

now rely upon Him in the day of adversity. His petitions showed that he was not a stranger to God's wonderful power. "It is nothing with Thee to help," he pleaded, "whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, Thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee." Verse 11.

The prayer of Asa is one that every Christian believer may fittingly offer. We fight in a warfare, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. See Ephesians 6:12." 

E.G.W.

A prayerless soul

 Continue in prayer. Colossians 4:2

"IT is interesting to remark how large a portion of Sacred Writ is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in 

--furnishing examples, 

--enforcing precepts, 

--or pronouncing promises. 

We scarcely open the Bible before we read, "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord;" and just as we are about to close the volume, the "Amen" of an earnest supplication meets our ear. 

Here we find a wrestling Jacob—there a Daniel who prayed three

times a day—and a David who with all his heart called upon his God.

On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and Silas. 

Q: What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and necessity of prayer? 

--We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in His Word, He intended to be conspicuous in our lives. 

*If He has said much about prayer, it is because He knows we have much need of it. 

*A prayerless soul is a Christless soul. 

Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus.

The motto must be, "Continue in prayer." 

Charles Spurgeon

Incense from the Altar

.....and golden vials full of odours, 

which are the prayers of saints. 

Revelation 5:8

"The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they can never be of value with God. 

They ascend not in spotless purity, and unless the Intercessor, who is

at God’s right hand, presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. 

All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. 

He holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in which there is no taint of earthly corruption. 

He gathers into this censer the prayers, the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own spotless righteousness. 

Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ’s propitiation, the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned.” 

E.G.W.

Q: How should we pray in these solemn times?

Q: How should we pray in these solemn times?
A: The end of all things is at hand; 

therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded 

for the sake of your prayers. 

But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 

For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, 

praying that you may have strength to escape all these things 

that are going to take place, 

and to stand before the Son of Man.

1 Peter 4:7/Luke 21:34-36 ESV

Unconsciously working against our prayers

"We are exhorted to “abstain from fleshly lusts, that war against the soul,” and in order to do this we are told to “make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Rom. 13:14.
Many sincere souls, earnestly longing and praying for deliverance

from sins inherent in the flesh, are unconsciously working against their prayers, and providing for the fulfiling of those lusts, by their habits of life.
The man who drinks intoxicating liquor cannot help becoming intoxicated. We know that God can rescue the drunkard from his bondage, but He cannot keep him from becoming intoxicated if he drinks. So God saves us from fleshly lusts, by instructing us concerning the things that beget those lusts, and saving us from them."

E.J. Waggoner

Prayer is the opening of the heart to God

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. Matthew 26:36

“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. 

Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. 

Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.

Jesus Himself, 

while He dwelt among men, 

was often in prayer.

And if the Saviour of men, the Son of God, felt the need of prayer, 

Q: how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer." 

E.G.W.

Muscular Christianity

"ASKING, in the Bible use of the term, means more than a mere verbal petition. 

The heart and the flesh must cry out for God. 

A Psalm 84:2 My soul longs, yea, even faints for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh cries out for the living God. 

This is in very deed “muscular Christianity."
E.J. Waggoner

The picture of Christ presented

"Christ (the only physical description of the Lord Jesus), 

He is described by John as such: 

"His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; 

And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace" (Revelation 1:14-15). 

Centuries earlier, Daniel saw the preincarnate Word and noted: 

"His body also was like the beryl, 

and His face as the appearance of lightning, 

and His eyes as lamps of fire, 

and His arms and His feet like in color to polished brass" 

(Daniel 10:6). 

*All of us would do well to "see" our Lord this way when we seek His face in prayer." 

HMM III

Lesson of Job's First Prayer

O that I knew where I might find Him! Job 23:3

"In Job's uttermost extremity he cried after the Lord. The longing

desire of an afflicted child of God is once more to see his Father's face.

His first prayer is not "O that I might be healed of the disease which now festers in every part of my body!" nor even "O that I might see my children restored from the jaws of the grave, and my property once more brought from the hand of the spoiler!" but the first and uppermost cry is, "O that I knew where I might find HIM, who is my God! that I might come even to His seat!"

Job's desire to commune with God was intensified by the failure of all other sources of consolation. 

--The patriarch turned away from his sorry friends, and looked up to the celestial throne.

--He bids farewell to earth-born hopes, and cries, "O that I knew where I might find my God!" 

Nothing teaches us so much the preciousness of the Creator, as when we learn the emptiness of all besides. Turning away with bitter scorn from earth's hives, where we find no honey, but many sharp stings, we rejoice in Him whose faithful word is sweeter than honey or the honeycomb." 

Charles Spurgeon

Luther on a Component of a Christian

Be careful for nothing; 

--but in every thing by prayer and supplication 

--with thanksgiving 

--let your requests be made known unto God.
Philppians 4:6

"To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive
without breathing." Martin Luther

Lord's Prayer SIMPLIFIED

"When Jesus’ disciples asked Him how they should pray, He gave

them—and us—a model prayer often called the Lord’s Prayer. Sometimes we can pray exactly this prayer, but it also serves as a model for the elements we should regularly incorporate in our own prayers.

Exaltation—Jesus began His prayer with “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). We should always view prayer as an act of worship where our goal is God’s glory, not just presenting a ‘wish list’ for God to fulfill.
Part of this is looking forward to the day when God manifests His rule on earth, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” (6:10).

Supplication— “Give us this day our daily bread” (6:11). As Christians, we know that God cares for us and provides for our needs. Jesus often pointed out that God is a good Father who provides for His children. Yet notice the basic nature of the request. It isn’t asking God for a Porsche or even a steak dinner—it’s asking God to fulfill a need, not a want.

Repentance— “Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our

debtors” (6:12). Even though God has forgiven us, we still sin, and we need to come to God and confess these sins so that we can continue to enjoy unbroken fellowship with Him (1 John 1:9). And as forgiven believers, we also must forgive others. This isn’t so we can continue to be saved, but a sign that we are forgiven in the first place.

Guidance— “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” (6:13). We know that God does not tempt anyone. Interestingly, we are told that the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil—the evil one. He was able to withstand this temptation because He is God Incarnate. We know that God always provides us a way of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), and we should pray for God to guard our hearts." LitaSamders

Lesson from Elijah's Prayer

 And he requested for himself that he might die. 1 Kings 19:4

"IT was a remarkable thing that the man who was never to die, for whom God had ordained an infinitely better lot, the man who should be carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and be translated, that he should not see death—should thus pray, Let me die, I am no better than my fathers.  

 

Strange was it that the lion-hearted Elijah should be so depressed by Jezebel's threat as to ask to die, and blessedly kind was it on the part of our heavenly Father that He did not take His desponding servant at his word.

 

--There is a limit to the doctrine of the prayer of faith. We are not to expect that God will give us everything we choose to ask for. We know that we sometimes ask, and do not receive, because we ask amiss. If we ask for that which is not promised—if we run counter to the spirit which the Lord would have us cultivate—if we ask contrary to His will, or to the decrees of His providence—if we ask merely for the gratification of our own ease, and without an eye to His glory, we must not expect that we shall receive. 

 

Be then, dear reader, 

much in prayer, 

and make this evening a season of earnest intercession, but take heed what you ask."

Charles Spurgeon

Birth-Place of all Evil

 

......rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

Luke 22:46

"It is well said that neglected prayer is the birth-place of all evil." 

Charles Spurgeon

Remarkable Prayer -- of 2 words

Help, Lord.

Psalm 12:1

 

"THE prayer itself is remarkable, for it is short, 

but seasonable, 

sententious, 

and suggestive. 

 

David mourned the fewness of faithful men, and therefore lifted up his heart in supplication—when the creature failed, he flew to the Creator. 

 

---There is much of directness, clearness of perception, and distinctness of utterance in this petition of two words; much more, indeed, than in the long rambling outpourings of certain professors. 

---The Psalmist runs straight-forward to his God, ...Lord, teach us to pray in the same blessed manner."

Charles Spurgeon

Simple Prayer of Lamentations

"In the book of Lamentations, we read a simple prayer: 

Restore us to yourself, O LORD, 

      that we may be restored; 

          renew our days as of old—

            unless you have utterly rejected us, and are angry with us beyond measure.

Lamentations 5:21,22 NRSV

Q: What gets you to the point of praying, “Restore me to yourself, O LORD, that I may be restored”?"

MarkRoberts

Proverbs on Prayer

The prayer of the upright is his delight.  Proverbs 15:8

"This is as good as a promise, for it declares a present fact, which will be the same throughout all ages. God takes great pleasure in the prayers of upright men; He even calls them His delight.

Our first concern is to be upright. Neither bending this way nor that,

continue upright; ... If we begin to shuffle and shift, we shall be left to shift for ourselves. ....we shall find our prayers shut out of heaven.

---If our prayer is God's delight, let us not stint Him in that which gives Him pleasure. 

---He does not consider the grammar of it, nor the metaphysics of it, nor the rhetoric of it; in all these men might despise it. He, as a Father, takes pleasure in the lispings of His own babes, the stammerings of His newborn sons and daughters. Should we not delight in prayer since the Lord delights in it?." Charles Spurgeon