Comments on: The Greater Work? http://blog.theseedcompany.org/prayer/the-greater-work/ Wed, 22 May 2013 04:18:12 +0000 hourly 1 By: Praying to End Bible Poverty: Charlie Lopez's Story | The Seed Company Blog http://blog.theseedcompany.org/prayer/the-greater-work/#comment-878 Praying to End Bible Poverty: Charlie Lopez's Story | The Seed Company Blog Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:55:15 +0000 http://blog.theseedcompany.org/?p=1246#comment-878 [...] Reading: The Greater Work Why Your Prayers Make a Difference Written by Johanna Fenton. January 23, [...]

]]> By: Bill http://blog.theseedcompany.org/prayer/the-greater-work/#comment-356 Bill Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:10:53 +0000 http://blog.theseedcompany.org/?p=1246#comment-356 Thanks Christopher for your comments. Please allow me to clarify my thoughts on the importance of prayer to Jesus. One of the many attributes I admire in Jesus is his laser-like focus on his mission. In John 3:17, we have a record of Jesus expressing clearly and succinctly what his mission was: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” This is what Jesus came to accomplish. It is the answer to the “what” question: “What was Jesus’ purpose?” On the other hand, prayer was an integral part of “how” he went about accomplishing his mission. In fact, prayer was clearly the priority (something that comes first in importance, or sequence, or both) in so many of the key events in Jesus’ ministry on the earth. The night before Jesus chose his first disciples, he spent all night in prayer. The night of his arrest, before he went to the cross, he agonized in prayer. And several other times between these events, as he carried out his ministry, Scripture records Jesus frequently praying. Does that mean prayer was his purpose? No, it doesn’t. Prayer is not “what” Jesus came to do. But in carrying out his ministry, goal and purpose, prayer was the priority for “how” he went about it. And if that was the practice of the Master, isn’t it clear that we as his followers need to also make prayer the priority of “how” we continue his mission? I think the whole of Scripture affirms this.

]]> By: Christopher http://blog.theseedcompany.org/prayer/the-greater-work/#comment-346 Christopher Thu, 19 May 2011 21:15:24 +0000 http://blog.theseedcompany.org/?p=1246#comment-346 Just because something is done often does not mean it is the goal. I’m sure Jesus often ate, drank, and breathed . . . yet those were not his mission. Those were not his priority.

You could say that prayer was vital and sustaining to him, in the same sense that breathing was. But it was not, and is not, the purpose.

]]> By: Bill http://blog.theseedcompany.org/prayer/the-greater-work/#comment-343 Bill Mon, 16 May 2011 17:36:26 +0000 http://blog.theseedcompany.org/?p=1246#comment-343 Thanks Shanyn. I’m so glad this post encouraged you! I too struggle with making prayer and devotional time with the Lord the priority of my day. I think one of my problems is that I don’t do a great job of scheduling it. Except Mondays. I have 2 friends whom I meet with every Monday for prayer. It’s a meeting we’ve all put in our weekly schedules. And (not surprisingly) we almost never skip it. For me, I’ve found that accountability + scheduled time = success. That formula may not work for individual devotional/prayer time, but I’ve found it helpful for group prayer. Does anyone have other suggestions for how to maintain regular (daily) connecting time with God? I’m sure we could all learn from each other in this area.

]]> By: Shanyn http://blog.theseedcompany.org/prayer/the-greater-work/#comment-342 Shanyn Mon, 16 May 2011 15:50:48 +0000 http://blog.theseedcompany.org/?p=1246#comment-342 Thank you for this, I’ve been struggling today with my devotional time and prayer time. Making prayer a priority and making it a bigger part of our day requires support and effort and prayer! Bright blessings…

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