"Why are You Sleeping?"

"Why are you sleeping?" - This is the question Jesus asked the disciples at the Garden of Gethsemane in today's sermon passage from Luke 22:39-46.  Instead of sleeping, the disciples had the alternative of being in prayer, just as Jesus exemplified.

We are reminded that:

• Jesus made prayer a routine - it was His custom to be in prayer regularly
• Jesus had a special place to pray - it would be helpful for us to find a place we can be free from distraction
• Prayer should be the first step in a crisis; not the last resort - we will all be tested, we need to pray that we will not fall to temptation
• It is important to have time ALONE with God
• It can be beneficial to enhance prayer through physical expression, like kneeling as a show of humility
• Jesus aligned His prayer to fit the will of God - do we pray for what we want or for what God wants?
• God does send angels to minister to us
• Jesus prayed fervently for prayer is hard work - it is an "all out war" in the spiritual realm  (ref Heb 5:7)
• 1) Ask, 2) Seek, and 3) Knock are actually three kinds of prayer
• Jesus claimed the greatest victory through prayer - victory upon the cross was first started at the Garden of Gethsemane in prayer

A great quote from my pastor:  "Nothing in the will of God is beyond the power of God"