The following are some observations, insights, and discoveries from “Praying Like Jesus – part 1.”

• Jesus needed and made time to pray alone
• Jesus needed to connect with his Father – refresh, re-energize
• Focus on presence/time with God, not on the words
• Jesus prayed out in nature – mountains, on a boat on the lake
• Jesus prayed early in the morning, during the night, after performing a healing or miracle, or before a big decision and his own passion
• Jesus prayed for his own needs and fears, but also prayed for God’s will to be done
• Jesus prayed for others
• Jesus prayed both from the heart/gut, and from the head/spirit

In part 2 we focused on what Jesus taught his disciples and the crowd about prayer.  Take a look at the following Bible passages, and for each passage pay attention to Jesus’ teaching on How to pray, Why to pray, and lastly What to pray? 

• Matthew 6: 5-8
• Matthew 6: 9-15
• Matthew 21: 12-14
• Mark 11: 20-25
• Luke 11: 1-13
• Luke 18: 1-14

Did anything surprise you, unsettle you, or awaken in you a new understanding and desire for a fuller prayer life?  From what Jesus taught his disciples about How, Why, and What to pray, what needs to change in your own prayer practices and/or attitude toward praying to/with God?