PRAYER

from the heart

Part 1 - The Concept of Prayer

Prayer is also referred to as, service of the heart, it takes time and commitment each day to stop, meditate and offer an honest prayer to the Almighty. Prayer isn't supposed to be whatever hits the brain, or a list of requests, but rather a spiritual dialogue with Heaven. All of our prayers are going to be different, because we are all created uniquely, this is why just praying from a siddur or following liturgy isn't all there is to prayer. And don't you hate those canned prayers that always start with... "Dear Lord, blah, blah, blah... and halfway through you've got a good idea how it's going to end. NO that's not prayer, it's just filling dead air space. A lot of people were told what to pray, then they grew up and then they taught their children what pray and so forth, rather than learning how to pray. Certainly prayer is a must, but it's certainly not corny cut and dried pre-memorized talk, to fulfill and obligation before eating. Ok, I also like my food hot, I'm happy with a short thank you, but after eating it's also very appropriate to enjoy a time of prayer and thanksgiving.

There are certainly times when we need to make specific prayer, on Shabbat when we read Torah, when we are together with others of like precious Faith specifically to worship. There are prayers that our forefathers have been saying for millennia, they are wonderful, beautiful prayers that are based on verses from the Tanakh, and we should remember these prayers as well, but PRAYER from the heart, is the kind of prayer that Yeshua taught us about.

"But when you pray enter your inner room

and close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret

and your Father who sees in secret He will reward you in open."

Matthew 6:7

It's very doubtful that many Believers back then had an "inner room" in their house, like an old attic, or study, office, computer or sewing room. The majority of souls lived in very small stone houses, they didn't have the luxury of privacy as many have today, if you've viewed some of the archeological sites in Israel, you already have a good idea that most homes had one or two rooms. Many houses were simply three walls and roof, they built a house against an available wall, they were small dwellings back then.

Yeshua set the example for us, "And when he dismissed the crowds, he went up to the mountain alone to pray." Matthew 14:23, this was something Yeshua did frequently, whether he is referring to the "inner room" of a building, like a closet, or the inner room of your heart, the principle is the same in that the Master asks us that we not be distracted by external things, or even by the distraction of putting our minds through "canned prayers". He is referring to a heart that is open and to meditation upon YHWH, in communication with Him. We must close our hearts off to the distractions of the world, and take some time for a dialogue with Heaven.

Like all other Believers I pray daily, I'm inspired by those in the household of Faith who take time each morning for prayer and supplication. Regardless of what is happening around them, they let Heaven know how grateful they are for life, and lift up others and all situations to the Father as the first priority of the day. As we pray, we learn to hear the Mind of Mashiyach on whatever we ask of YHWH, if we ask.

Our Father in Heaven knows our hearts before we pray, but WE need to hear His Voice. We have a standing offer to enter into the Kingdom of Elohim and know the "Mind of Mashiyach", and have Him counsel us regarding any thoughts that come to us, so we can learn to judge with righteous judgment. We need Mashiyach to help us train our thoughts and discipline us according to his Righteousness. Maybe it's not easy, but it's not impossible either. During prayer there are times I've found myself asking YHWH to forgive my distracting thoughts, but the more we pray and meditate on the Word of YHWH, the less of a struggle it is to keep our minds stayed on Him. When it comes to prayer, we receive much more than we put in, we are hearing Wisdom that is from outside time and space and we access knowledge and understanding that is Eternal. It's not just a thing we do, it's a dialogue, we must hear the Master YHWH speak to our Neshama when we pray, otherwise we are not truly in prayer.

Perhaps the word "PRAY", doesn't suggest a dialogue, it seems that many don't hear from YHWH because they don't expect to hear anything! But if we have no expectation, why would the Ruach haKodesh want to speak to us? What would you think of someone if they were talking to you as though you were not listening? And when they finished speaking they just walked away? They suppose that you can't afford the time to listen to what they are saying!?! At times, I've discovered that prayer with some Believers, is a complete waste of time, and many times if you say something about meaningful prayer, they are easily offended!

YHWH is the Living Elohim, He is our Father, His Mashiyach is our Friend, who is closer than a brother. We wouldn't even treat a stranger with such hostility as Believers seem to treat YHWH and His Mashiyach! If we really believe that YHWH created us and gave us life, shouldn't He command the lions share of our lives including our thoughts and words. It is to privilege to pray and meditate on His Word! It's wonderful to enjoy an entire Shabbat for doing just this, the essence of Shabbat is prayer and hearing from YHWH.

Prayer isn't going to be very satisfying, unless a person is walking IN Mashiyach according to the Word of YHWH. We are called to live as Mashiyach lived, and be the ambassadors that Yeshua demonstrated to his talmidim, but prayer without obedience is a sad situation. Obedience means that we keep the Commandments like Yeshua taught us. According to Psalm 110, King David knew Mashiyach, but so did all our Forefathers and each of them prayed to YHWH through Mashiyach, because Mashiyach is the Word of YHWH who represents everything in Time and Space. YHWH is Ein Sof, He is without end, HE is infinite so therefore Mashiyach bridges the gap between infinity and finite creation. Y'shua is our Torah Mashiyach, it is through Covenant and Righteous Judgment of Torah that we learn about Perfect Justice and in which we can make our appeals to YHWH for direction and discernment. Melech Shlomo wrote,

"He that turns away his ear from hearing the Torah,

even his tefilah (prayer) shall be abomination unto YHWH."

Mishlei/Proverbs 28:9.

If a person has little or no intention of observing YHWH's Torah, or if they prefer to live in willful sin, prayer is going to be a tough thing to do and it will bring very little joy. If we don't do YHWH's will, there isn't much point in making long prayers, He knows our hearts and thoughts, prayer is meant to grow the neshama, but not a way of excusing sin.

Part 2 - How to Pray

Prayer is a dialogue, so we must also learn how to listen. Liturgy and use of a Siddur, can bring great joy and peace from the Ruach, praying individually and corporately our minds are focused on YHWH. Throughout Yeshua's life, he lived and taught a lifestyle of freedom, justice and righteousness for all souls. Yeshua taught us that the Way of YHWH is Judgment (Justice), Mercy and Faith for everyone, and that we are to show love and compassion to others beyond any religious or traditional values man had previously understood. Yeshua taught his talmidim to direct prayers to "our Father" and His Father YHWH, never to himself. He taught us that His Father is accessible and has created us in His Image, so that we are called to be like Him and seek His viewpoint for our own lives and for others. Yeshua prayed daily, and he taught his disciples how to pray.

Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul) spoke of praying in Messiah's stead, 2 Corinthians 5:20 as we are "ambassadors of Mashiyach". The Ruach haKodesh communicates to us according to prayer. Prayer is simply a word we use that denotes a spiritual level of communication, our neshama connects with our soul, and as we pray we send and receive spiritual messages that our souls encode, or try to. Because of our Father's Mercy He makes Himself available to everyone, unless they have habitually spurned the Living Elohim.

In the Writings of the Netzarim, at the stoning of Stephen theologians have made up a doctrine that prayer to Yeshua was normal among the disciples. Stephen had just finished informing his accusers that he "saw the Glory of Elohim and Y'shua standing at the Right Hand of Elohim", the next thing he saw was a stampede of religious fanatics coming at him, to kill him. Put yourself in Stephen's shoes for a second, if you can. Stephen didn't say he saw a vision, he said he saw "the Glory of Elohim and Y'shua..." Imagine that like Stephen, you lived and learned directly from Y'shua Mashiyach, but then Mashiyach was put to death by the religious fanatics, but you still walked with him inside of you, but it wasn't quite the same as being with him each day. If you were Stephen, and you saw him next to "the Glory of Elohim", how would you respond? "YESHUA! IT'S YOU!" Whether you lived or died at the moment wouldn't be a big deal, your eyes are looking outside of time and space, you know the Mashiyach and nobody can change your mind! So then Stephen prays,

"Our Master Y'shua receive my spirit", and

"Our Master do not cause this sin to stand against them!"

But of course, when Stephen was saying this, he was also in the middle of being murdered for his Faith in Yeshua! So then for Stephen to cry out "Our Master Y'shua receive my spirit!", should be of no surprise to us! But then some religious folk make a doctrine about this is being evidence that one should pray to Yeshua? No, this is more Christo-Paganism, of trying making the physical body into a spiritual thing. It's not every day that someone is praying as they are getting murdered, and especially right after seeing Y'shua at the Right Hand of Elohim.

We pray to YHWH, as our Forefathers and the Prophets have done from the beginning of time. Now that Mashiyach has been revealed, we come to YHWH in the name of Y'shua because he was the perfect offering for our transgressions. It's really not as complicated as a lot of people would like to make it out. The Father YHWH knows the end of all things from the beginning. He knew His only begotten Son would triumph as the Son of Man. Yeshua taught his disciples not to pray to him.

"And in that day you will not ask me anything.

Amen, amen I say to you that everything that you ask of my Father in my name,

He will give it to you!"

John 16:23

Yeshua asked his Father to forgive those who tortured him and put his body up on the stake. By praying to YHWH in the name of Yeshua we are recognizing the awesome value that our Father YHWH has put upon our lives, the redemption price He paid for us cannot be matched by anything on earth or in heaven. Mashiyach ben Yoseph has come to redeem YHWH's people, this is also how we have the confidence that our prayers will be heard. How much does YHWH love us?

Prayer is a wonderful thing. It puts everything in perspective, it brings peace as YHWH speaks to us by His Spirit. Prayer is one way we give our time to our best and closest Friend. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, or closer than any other human can be to our souls. So, let's think about our prayers, consider why and how we pray. Ask YHWH what He wants us to pray. Look into His Word, he wants us to pray for and about things that are Just and Righteous! Maybe our prayer life needs a renovation? It seems as there are always lots of prayers going up, but very few prayers appear to really cause a change and new potential. When we are in need, we seem to pray with far greater fervency, we get serious when it's about something we really want. YHWH knows we must work to have a relationship with Him, we must invest our time and resources, but He made us in His Image, so we are capable of having an open relationship and dialogue with Him.

Yeshua said, "Therefore, you pray like this:

Our Father in heaven

Hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done

On earth so as in heaven

Give us the bread of our need this day

And forgive us our offences as we also

have forgiven those who have offended us.

And not bring us into trial,

but deliver us from the evil one

for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever."

Matthew 6:9-13

We're not going anywhere in this life without prayer!

May our prayers be as the morning and evening sacrifices unto YHWH

that are ordered and presentable, pleasing unto him,

a sweet smelling aroma, even like incense.

May our prayers be acceptable and pleasing to YHWH.

Amen

Shalom U'Vrachot

Baruch Ben Daniel

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