Growing Through Prayer (A 'Loving God Greatly' Bible Study)
January 11, 2016
Week 1 ~ Day 1
Read: Acts 2:41-47
S: "They continued
steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship in the breaking of bread,
and prayer." Acts 2:42
O&A: I always like to learn
about what words really mean, because sometimes we use words ‘thinking’ we
understand what they mean, but in reality, we are using them wrong because they
don’t mean what we think they mean (and by 'we' of course I mean 'me', because not everyone has this word challenge, lol). I
changed (for my own understanding) the words to their definitions: |
| Acts 2:42 - emphasis mine, to help me better define the passage for my *own* understanding. |
One of the things that really
stood out to me was the ‘apostles’ teaching’ – it made me ask myself, in my
head (rhetorically), “who taught the apostles?”
Well, of course it was Yeshua/Jesus! And whose instructions was He teaching? YHVH's/God's instructions! So they weren’t off teaching their own doctrines, their own beliefs, or even just their own understandings of the Scriptures, etc., no! They were teaching the instructions according to what they
learned from our master, the Teacher/Rabbi (the ONLY Rabbi, since he said ‘call
no man rabbi/teacher’), our Messiah Yeshua/Jesus.
It also brings to mind the
scripture that tells us to ‘pray without ceasing’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17). When we abide in Him, can we ever step away
from Him? Can a branch choose to leave a
tree (where it receives its life) and expect to be re-attached? Not that I’ve ever seen! Maybe with the help of a Master Gardener
(that would be Yeshua!), but He has to be the one to graft us in; we can’t do
it of our own volition. In that, I see
constancy, and reliability, and steadfastness in the life we have with Messiah. He said if we abide in Him, He will abide in
us. (John 15)
P: Abba, Father, our Elohim/God
in the shamayim/heavens, hallow Your name, and establish Your rule forever, and
rule over us for ever and ever. Be so
established in the hearts of my family, and myself, so that no matter where we
go, or what we encounter, we would be steadfast in our abiding in Your True
Vine, our Messiah, Yeshua. Let our
fellowship with You be never-ending.
With all of the technological advances of this day and age, Abba, I pray
that we would liken our relationship with You to be like the person on the
other end of our Bluetooth device – open communication and fellowship with You
at ALL times, in all circumstances.
I
pray that we would come to You and tell You all about our day, our troubles,
our joys, our worries, our sadness before we come to Facebook, or Twitter, or
Instagram – or wherever we broadcast our lives – because You are worthy, and
You are the only one who can prune the thorny areas, and cultivate the fruit
that is produced in and by our lives.
I pray
that we would not look to man, or pastor, evangelist, or anyone else for how to
live, and how to love, and how to walk in Your Torah/law/instructions, but only
to our Messiah, Yeshua, and follow in HIS instructions, which were given by
You, my Elohim/God.
Help me to cultivate
a better life of prayer that is worthy of Your glory/kavod, and that honors
You. Allow me to sit at the feet of
Messiah, and rest in Him, and learn more of Him, and be taught by Him. I extend this prayer for my husband and sons
as well, that you would continue to grow us in Your Word together. In Your Son Yeshua’s name, Amein.
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