Unity Church of Castro Valley
Sunday Message for June 1, 2008
JESUS' PRAYERS
Today we are starting our new Prayer Chaplain program. Right after the service today we are having the Orientation. So if you want to be a Prayer Chaplain, or think you might be interested, we will be giving you all the information you need to make that decision. This could be a major step up in your personal spiritual journey. Having gone through the training myself, I can tell you that this is an extraordinary program. You will be doing yourself a great favor in going through this program.
So I thought that I would talk today about prayer, specifically about how Jesus prayed, since he is our example and master teacher.
PRAY FOR YOURSELF
Before Jesus was crucified he called upon God with a prayer that has been referred to as The High Priestly Prayer. Jesus had an intimate conversation with God that depicts how he intercedes on our behalf, just as a high priest would have done in the temple. This is the longest prayer by Jesus that was recorded in the Bible.
The first thing Jesus did was to pray for himself.
(John 17:1-5) "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed."
Jesus spoke with majesty and authority, as one with and equal to the Father. Jesus knew that he was to be crucified. However, he was able to direct his mind's "eye" beyond that obstacle to the glory that would follow.
When we have challenges in our lives we too need to first pray for ourselves; not for the challenge, not for other people, but for ourselves. And we need to do it with "majesty and authority." When we pray we need to recognize the Christ within us and know that the Father/God is always at hand waiting to hear from us. Put aside the problem or challenge and direct your mind's eye to the "glory that will follow," knowing that God will guide you to the right action – and pray for yourself. Know that God has given you authority over every situation in your life. What you created, you can un-create, or create something better.
Jesus said you have given me "authority over all people." And we, too, have authority over all our thoughts, all our thought people. How are you using that authority? Do you let your thoughts run rampant? Or are you a good steward over your thoughts? Consider your thoughts as your employees. Give them direction. Let them know what the ultimate goal is. Guide them into right thinking and when they get off-track lead them back into the truth.
The work that you were assigned on this earth is to create a better spiritual life, so that you may glorify God. He put you here to learn to manifest all good things. Let your life be an example for others and always pray first for yourself. Because you can't give from an empty vessel.
PRAY FOR YOUR DISCIPLES
The next thing Jesus did was to pray for his disciples.
(John 17:6-19) "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from evil. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth."
Jesus prays for his disciples. He saw them as sheep to the shepherd, to be kept; as patients to the physician, to be cured; as children to a tutor, to be taught. In relying on Jesus, his disciples knew that all he was and all he had, all he said and all he did was of and from God.
Our disciples are the twelve powers within us. We can pray to God, "They were yours, and you gave them to me." So we need to pray for them that they operate in Truth. We have Faith, represented by Peter, which resides at the center of the brain. We have Strength, represented by Andrew, which is in our loins. There is discrimination or Judgment, or Wisdom, represented by James, the son of Zebedee, which resides in the pit of our stomach. And, of course, we have Love, represented by John, which resides at the back of the heart. We have Power, represented by Philip, which resides at the root of our tongues. We have Imagination, represented by Bartholomew, which resides between the eyes. We have Understanding, represented by Thomas, which resides in the front brain. We have Will, represented by Matthew, which resides in the center front brain. We have Order, represented by James, the son of Alphaeus, which resides at the navel. We have Zeal, represented by Simon the Cananaen, which resides at the back head, the medulla. We have Renunciation or Elimination, represented by Thaddaeus, which resides in the abdominal region. And we have Life or the Life Conserver, represented by Judas, which resides in the generative function.
These are the disciples that we need to pray for, to keep safe from harm, to cure of their ills, and to teach to operate in Truth. We need to pray for them, "Holy Father, protect them, so that they may be one, as we are one." For when all twelve powers are in alignment with the Truth, we will live a life of abundance and joy.
PRAY FOR OTHERS
Then Jesus prayed for all others in the world.
(John 17:20-26) "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
Jesus prayed that all people might be as one body under one head, animated by one soul, by their knowing the Christ within, through the Holy Spirit indwelling them. Jesus declared the name and character of God and that being one with him, the love of the Father might abide with them also. He prayed that all might be joined to God by one Spirit, that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, and that they enjoy a blessedness beyond compare. Jesus asks God to give us five gifts. We have been given eternal life, the nature of God, God's words, Joy, and Glory.
Such a perfect prayer. Once we have prayed for ourselves and prayed to integrate all twelve of our powers, then we are ready to pray for others. But, again, we don't pray for their problems. Instead, we center ourselves in who and what they really are. We pray and affirm that they are one with God. We affirm that God is with them and loves them unconditionally. We affirm that they are whole, perfect, and complete in all ways. If they are sick, we see only health. If they are poor, we see only abundance. If they are sad, we see the joy of God in them. We can only help others when we are already full of the glory of God. Jesus gave us the perfect example – pray for yourself and pray for your disciples – then you can see the truth of all people.
JESUS PRAYED
Jesus was a prayer. The only way that one could live a life like he did, was to stay prayed up. He knew the importance of constantly staying in touch with God; constantly staying centered in who and what he was.
(Matthew 14:23) "And after Jesus had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone." This was common for Jesus. He would disappear and spend time alone with God. This instance was right before he walked on water out to the boat, and encouraged Peter to also walk on water. If he had not been prayed-up do you think he could have performed the miracles that he did? I think his constant prayer helped to keep him focused on his mission on Earth.
(Mark 1:35) "In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed." When his disciples finally found him they said, (Mark 1:37) "Everyone is searching for you." Jesus replied, (Mark 1:38) "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." Again, Jesus went off by himself to commune with God and became so clear about his mission that his only response when the disciples said that everyone was searching for him, was 'Let's go, I have a mission to fulfill.'
(Mark 6:46) "After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray." This was right before Jesus stilled the wind that was tossing the boat around. He knew how important it was to stay in constant contact with God, and he took that time out of his day to do what he knew he had to do. He didn't consult a psychic, he didn't check the stars, he prayed.
(Luke 6:12) "Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God." This was right before he chose his 12 disciples. He spent the whole night in prayer before making important decisions. Jesus was so powerful because he was always doing God's will. He made right decisions because he always consulted with God.
He provided an example for us of how we should live. It says in (1 Thessalonians 5:17) "pray without ceasing." Jesus took this very seriously and his life showed the results.
THE TRANSFIGURATION
(Luke 9:28-29) "Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white." Jesus was transfigured right in front of Peter and John. Prayer changes us. It doesn't just change us emotionally or intellectually, it can actually change us physically.
We know that prayer can heal us of our ills, but it can also transfigure our physical body to a higher level. Jesus spiritualized his body and became dazzling white.
If you truly want to improve your life, maybe this Prayer Chaplain program is for you. Join us at the orientation after today's service and find out if you want to take this opportunity to grow.
SCRIPTURE: John 17; Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35-38; Mark 6:46; Luke 6:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Luke 9:28-29
REFERENCE: The Twelve Powers of Man Charles Fillmore
--------------------
Last updated
June 2, 2008
