1 Thessalonians 5:17

Jesus prayed. The apostles prayed. The early church

prayed.

Today: many have a “take it or leave it” attitude about prayer.

Matthew 14:23 -- After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone….

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 1:35 -- 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.

Luke 6:12 -- One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Luke 9:28 -- About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. (Before transfiguration)

Luke 18:1 -- Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

On persistence

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector…. “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

On humility

Be 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.“

On urgency

1 Thessalonians 5:17 -- pray without ceasing….

…rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer….

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving….