July 15, 2024 • 10 mins
In this thought-provoking episode of The Heartbeat of Faith, Dr. Andrew Farley explores the profound concept of prayer and its deeper purpose. The episode begins with a fundamental question: Are we approaching prayer as a mere request for comfort, or is there a more profound meaning on the other side of suffering? This introspective question sets the stage for a captivating journey into the essence of prayer and its transformative power.
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In this episode, we discover that blessing and meaning are often found when we humbly sacrifice our desires, seeking God's will above our own. The biblical examples of Joshua and Peter, who faced hardship and obedience over comfort and convenience, underscore the importance of courage and humility in prayer. This episode challenges us to reevaluate our approach to prayer, reminding us that it's not about ordering from a divine menu but rather a declaration of God's authority and power.
Download the Pray.com app today to experience the vivid revelation of God's divine presence through cinematic storytelling, guided by the influence of the Holy Spirit.
For more encouragement in God's grace visit AndrewFarley.org.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let us pray. I have set Yahweh always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not
be moved Psalm chapter sixteen, Verse eight. O Lord, I
humbly submit my will to yours. Guide me along the
path that you have chosen for me, and help me
(00:23):
to find my way in times of trouble or uncertainty.
Show me how to live in accordance with your divine wisdom,
so that I may experience peace and joy. Strengthen me
to remain steadfast and this journey, no matter how difficult
it may be. Thank you that through the Cross you
(00:43):
have forgiven me for all the wrongs I have done.
Teach me to learn from my past mistakes and trust
you going forward. In you alone do I place my
faith in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for praying with
me today. Now discover the profound intricacies of scripture through
(01:05):
prey dot COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with doctor
Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We spend a lot of time asking for God to
do certain things for us. Have we paused to consider
there might be profound wisdom in trusting God's plan.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
No one could truly know the depth of Jesus's dialogue
with God. That night, the Father and the Son spoke
to each other with a bond that had preceded time itself.
Jesus knew that he was going to be taken and
he would be offered up as a sacrifice for the
redemption of mankind.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Here's a question. Do we treat prayer like ordering from
a menu, as if God exists just to fulfill our orders.
Prayer can be more than just making requests. Prayer is
also how we get in tune with God's plan and
make the choice to trust his plan rather than our own.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I'm doctor Andrew Farley, and welcome to another episode of
the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. Our mission is to understand
the major themes of the Bible. This week we've been
looking at powerful prayers. We aim to understand the heart
of these prayers, and today's prayer was uttered by Jesus himself.
(02:37):
Kneeling in the garden of Gsemine, Jesus was anticipating the
daunting mission ahead of him. He was going to suffer
and die on our behalf. Even for Jesus, the task
seemed heavy to bear.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Jesus led them to a garden called Gethsemone. There Jesus
would anguish over what was about to happen. He told
his disciples to wait for him while he prayed. Then
he took Peter, James and John to go further with him.
My soul is filled with sorrow even to death. Remain
here with me and keep watch. Jesus walked ahead a
(03:18):
little further and fell to his knees before God. No
one could truly know the depth of Jesus's dialogue with God.
That night, the Father and the Son spoke to each
other with a bond that had preceded time itself. Jesus
knew that he was going to be taken, and he
would be offered up as a sacrifice for the redemption
of mankind. Gazing into heaven, Jesus knelt before his God
(03:43):
and asked, Father, if you are willing take this cup
from me? Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Many of our prayers are focused on self preservation. Naturally,
we want to make our lives easier. Jesus, in view
of what was ahead, preferred another way, if there was one. Essentially,
he prayed for less suffering if the mission could still
be accomplished, But ultimately he placed the Father's will above
(04:17):
his preference for easier circumstances. We spend a lot of
time asking for God to do certain things for us.
Have we paused to consider there might be profound wisdom
in trusting God's plan. Let's consider God's call to Joshua.
(04:37):
He took on the mantle of Moses, and there was
great hardship ahead of him. The tribulation would take courage,
and God was there to inspire him.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
God came to Joshua as he once did to Moses.
In the silence, God spoke softly, saying, Moses's des now arise, Joshua,
go over the Jordan River into the land I have
given you and my people. Joshua smiled and laid it
at the words he was hearing me. Yet a subtle
(05:13):
doubt nested in the back of his mind. He could
not shake a feeling of insecurity. Am I truly able
to lead these people like Moses did? He thought to himself. God,
knowing Joshua's heart, continued to speak, saying, no one shall
be able to stand against you, just as I was
with Moses. So I will be with you. I will
(05:36):
never leave you. Be strong and courageous, and you will
lead the people into victory. Keep my commands close to
your heart, and do not be afraid, for I am
with you. Three times, God repeated these words to Joshua,
encouraging him to be strong and courageous. Joshua closed his
(05:57):
eyes and took a deep breath. He rolled his shoulders
back and assumed a large posture. Then he arose to
go lead his people.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
It takes humility and faith to release our expectations and
trust that God's will be done. There are moments every
day when we get to walk by the spirit and
trust God's ways instead of the ways we're used to responding.
Peter experienced one of these moments when he went on
(06:28):
a boat with Jesus and needed to trust him despite
what he was feeling.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
After Jesus was finished, he turned back to Peter and andrew,
why don't we go out into the deep and put
your nets out for a catch, Jesus asked. Peter gave
a condescending laugh. Master, we have toiled all night and
have nothing to show for it. He looked at Jesus.
He was earnest and clearly wanted Peter to take the
(06:58):
boat out. Peter shrugged, Fine, that's your word, we will
go out. So Peter and Andrew reluctantly took the boat out.
Peter gathered up the nets and tossed them to the
side of the boat. Then Peter sat, knowing that nothing
would catch. Just as Peter was getting comfortable, he could
hear the sound of stretching rope. The net was tightening
(07:20):
on the side of the boat. Peter leaped to his
feet and looked overboard. His net was completely filled with fish,
so much that the nets seemed like it was about
to break.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Jesus modeled trust of the Father for us when he
prayed for God's will to be done. He was willing
to experience the more challenging path if it meant that
God's plan would be carried out. The objective was the
redemption of humanity, and it was worth it. Prayer can
(07:53):
align our attitudes and thoughts with Gods and help us
see things from a healthy perspective. So here's a question.
Do we treat prayer like ordering from a menu, as
if God exists just to fulfill our orders? In the
radiant light of the New Covenant, prayer isn't merely a
(08:15):
ritual or a religious obligation. It's our heart to heart
communion with our loving Father. Remember, in Christ, we've been
given new hearts that pulse with His desires. When we
release our expectations in prayer, echoing Jesus's humility, Not my will,
(08:36):
but your will be done. It isn't about laying down
our dreams in bitter sacrifice. No, it's about recognizing the
profound wisdom of leaning into God's perfect plan. Trusting him
isn't a concession. It's the realization that the one who
(08:57):
crafted the universe, who holds the stars in place, knows
the path to our ultimate joy and fulfillment. With every
beat of our new hearts, let's remember he's infinitely wiser,
loves us deeply, and is committed to doing immeasurably more
(09:18):
than we could ever ask for or imagine. Embrace that truth,
dear believer, and find rest and inspiration in His perfect
love and plan. Thank you for listening to today's episode
of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. Follow the podcast so
(09:38):
you can learn the Bible in this entertaining and inspiring way,
and please leave us a review. Download Theprey dot com app,
and for more encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org.
That's Andrewfarley dot org.
Let us pray. I have set Yahweh always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not
be moved Psalm chapter sixteen, Verse eight. O Lord, I
humbly submit my will to yours. Guide me along the
path that you have chosen for me, and help me
(00:23):
to find my way in times of trouble or uncertainty.
Show me how to live in accordance with your divine wisdom,
so that I may experience peace and joy. Strengthen me
to remain steadfast and this journey, no matter how difficult
it may be. Thank you that through the Cross you
(00:43):
have forgiven me for all the wrongs I have done.
Teach me to learn from my past mistakes and trust
you going forward. In you alone do I place my
faith in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for praying with
me today. Now discover the profound intricacies of scripture through
(01:05):
prey dot COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with doctor
Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We spend a lot of time asking for God to
do certain things for us. Have we paused to consider
there might be profound wisdom in trusting God's plan.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
No one could truly know the depth of Jesus's dialogue
with God. That night, the Father and the Son spoke
to each other with a bond that had preceded time itself.
Jesus knew that he was going to be taken and
he would be offered up as a sacrifice for the
redemption of mankind.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Here's a question. Do we treat prayer like ordering from
a menu, as if God exists just to fulfill our orders.
Prayer can be more than just making requests. Prayer is
also how we get in tune with God's plan and
make the choice to trust his plan rather than our own.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I'm doctor Andrew Farley, and welcome to another episode of
the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. Our mission is to understand
the major themes of the Bible. This week we've been
looking at powerful prayers. We aim to understand the heart
of these prayers, and today's prayer was uttered by Jesus himself.
(02:37):
Kneeling in the garden of Gsemine, Jesus was anticipating the
daunting mission ahead of him. He was going to suffer
and die on our behalf. Even for Jesus, the task
seemed heavy to bear.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Jesus led them to a garden called Gethsemone. There Jesus
would anguish over what was about to happen. He told
his disciples to wait for him while he prayed. Then
he took Peter, James and John to go further with him.
My soul is filled with sorrow even to death. Remain
here with me and keep watch. Jesus walked ahead a
(03:18):
little further and fell to his knees before God. No
one could truly know the depth of Jesus's dialogue with God.
That night, the Father and the Son spoke to each
other with a bond that had preceded time itself. Jesus
knew that he was going to be taken, and he
would be offered up as a sacrifice for the redemption
of mankind. Gazing into heaven, Jesus knelt before his God
(03:43):
and asked, Father, if you are willing take this cup
from me? Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Many of our prayers are focused on self preservation. Naturally,
we want to make our lives easier. Jesus, in view
of what was ahead, preferred another way, if there was one. Essentially,
he prayed for less suffering if the mission could still
be accomplished, But ultimately he placed the Father's will above
(04:17):
his preference for easier circumstances. We spend a lot of
time asking for God to do certain things for us.
Have we paused to consider there might be profound wisdom
in trusting God's plan. Let's consider God's call to Joshua.
(04:37):
He took on the mantle of Moses, and there was
great hardship ahead of him. The tribulation would take courage,
and God was there to inspire him.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
God came to Joshua as he once did to Moses.
In the silence, God spoke softly, saying, Moses's des now arise, Joshua,
go over the Jordan River into the land I have
given you and my people. Joshua smiled and laid it
at the words he was hearing me. Yet a subtle
(05:13):
doubt nested in the back of his mind. He could
not shake a feeling of insecurity. Am I truly able
to lead these people like Moses did? He thought to himself. God,
knowing Joshua's heart, continued to speak, saying, no one shall
be able to stand against you, just as I was
with Moses. So I will be with you. I will
(05:36):
never leave you. Be strong and courageous, and you will
lead the people into victory. Keep my commands close to
your heart, and do not be afraid, for I am
with you. Three times, God repeated these words to Joshua,
encouraging him to be strong and courageous. Joshua closed his
(05:57):
eyes and took a deep breath. He rolled his shoulders
back and assumed a large posture. Then he arose to
go lead his people.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
It takes humility and faith to release our expectations and
trust that God's will be done. There are moments every
day when we get to walk by the spirit and
trust God's ways instead of the ways we're used to responding.
Peter experienced one of these moments when he went on
(06:28):
a boat with Jesus and needed to trust him despite
what he was feeling.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
After Jesus was finished, he turned back to Peter and andrew,
why don't we go out into the deep and put
your nets out for a catch, Jesus asked. Peter gave
a condescending laugh. Master, we have toiled all night and
have nothing to show for it. He looked at Jesus.
He was earnest and clearly wanted Peter to take the
(06:58):
boat out. Peter shrugged, Fine, that's your word, we will
go out. So Peter and Andrew reluctantly took the boat out.
Peter gathered up the nets and tossed them to the
side of the boat. Then Peter sat, knowing that nothing
would catch. Just as Peter was getting comfortable, he could
hear the sound of stretching rope. The net was tightening
(07:20):
on the side of the boat. Peter leaped to his
feet and looked overboard. His net was completely filled with fish,
so much that the nets seemed like it was about
to break.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Jesus modeled trust of the Father for us when he
prayed for God's will to be done. He was willing
to experience the more challenging path if it meant that
God's plan would be carried out. The objective was the
redemption of humanity, and it was worth it. Prayer can
(07:53):
align our attitudes and thoughts with Gods and help us
see things from a healthy perspective. So here's a question.
Do we treat prayer like ordering from a menu, as
if God exists just to fulfill our orders? In the
radiant light of the New Covenant, prayer isn't merely a
(08:15):
ritual or a religious obligation. It's our heart to heart
communion with our loving Father. Remember, in Christ, we've been
given new hearts that pulse with His desires. When we
release our expectations in prayer, echoing Jesus's humility, Not my will,
(08:36):
but your will be done. It isn't about laying down
our dreams in bitter sacrifice. No, it's about recognizing the
profound wisdom of leaning into God's perfect plan. Trusting him
isn't a concession. It's the realization that the one who
(08:57):
crafted the universe, who holds the stars in place, knows
the path to our ultimate joy and fulfillment. With every
beat of our new hearts, let's remember he's infinitely wiser,
loves us deeply, and is committed to doing immeasurably more
(09:18):
than we could ever ask for or imagine. Embrace that truth,
dear believer, and find rest and inspiration in His perfect
love and plan. Thank you for listening to today's episode
of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. Follow the podcast so
(09:38):
you can learn the Bible in this entertaining and inspiring way,
and please leave us a review. Download Theprey dot com app,
and for more encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org.
That's Andrewfarley dot org.
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