How to Thrive in 2025: PRAY!

Dearly Beloved in Yeshua,

Let’s Pray!

The first time the word “pray” appears in the Bible is Genesis 20:7 where God told Abimelech (king of Gerar) in a dream to restore Abraham’s wife to him. “…for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live…” A prayer of intercession—someone praying for another. “So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants…” (Gen. 20:17).

The first time the word “prayer” appears in the Bible is in II Samuel 7:27, where King David prays to God, reminding Him of His promise to establish the House of David forever: “For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore, Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.”

Both prayers were based on something God had said. It is always fruitful to pray this way because God keeps His Word and His promises. This reminds me of Numbers 23:19. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Has the Lord said something to you from His Word? Remind Him in prayer in 2025; He will do it!

What is Prayer?

Prayer in its very essence is talking with God. It is relationship-based, a way to have intimate communion with God, our Heavenly Father. Abba, Father. The word “Abba” in Hebrew is more akin to “Daddy” in English. Since we have received the Spirit of sonship, through believing in Yeshua as our Savior, Lord, and Messiah, we can cry “Abba, Father” in Messiah’s name and He hears us (see Romans 8:15). Prayer is a priceless privilege, available to believers in Yeshua 24/7, all year long. When an Israeli rabbi and his family lived with us in our house on the beach for seven weeks in the ’70s, we learned that religious Jews avoid using “Abba” because it is thought to be too daring and familiar an expression to be used in addressing the King of the Universe (Melekh HaOlam, (MEH-lekh hah oh-LAHM).

Messianic believers, however, say “Abba” because we relate to God as His children. How do children see God? As—a father figure, a friend, a secret keeper, someone trustworthy, perfect, able to do anything, powerful, knows everything, big and strong. Let’s follow the lead of the children in 2025 by directing our prayers to this Perfect Heavenly Father, with childlike humility and simplicity. Please be aware that the enemy is after our children as never before. A wonderful article by Focus on the Family (Aug./Sept. 2008) mentioned five ways that parents (and grandparents) can pray for their children.
(1.) Drive-through prayer: When you drive through your neighborhood, or past parks and schools, pray for them. No need to use lots of words.
(2.) Write down your prayer list: You do it for groceries. Why not keep track of people and situations needing prayer?
(3.) Double the effort: Parents can agree to pray for each other’s children.
(4.) Pray by the Book: As you read Daniel, pray for the courage of your children. Esther? Pray for confidence in God’s faithfulness.
(5.) In the moment: this is praying continually—driving to work, walking the dog, preparing dinner, whenever and wherever!

Prayers: Answered and Unanswered

Prayer for Messianic believers should be like breathing. It should be a way of life, more than an “activity,” not just something we do from 6:00 to 6:30 every morning. As my son Jonathan said in one of his recent sermons, we should treat prayer like we treat our cell phones (we must have them and tend to feel lost without them. They become a daily “necessity!”).

Reverend Juan Carlos Ortiz said in God is Closer Than You Think, “Prayer is life. It is life with another person who wishes to be intimate with us; it is life with one who is our very life source. Prayer is a flow, a consciousness that our Messiah is continually with us and within us.” AMEN. Great men of God such as George Müller and Leonard Ravenhill seem to emphasize both passion for and persistence in prayer: prayer in secret in one’s prayer closet. During an interview at age 91, George Müller said, “I live in the spirit of prayer; I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. When once I am persuaded a thing is right, I go on praying for it until the end comes. I never give up! The great fault of the children of God is that they do not continue in prayer; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it.” Leonard Ravenhill said, “If only the people of God could be baptized into a passion for prayer, life would quicken, miracles would return, souls would be saved, and coffers would overflow.”

God wants to answer our prayers, particularly those prayed in faith in the name of Yeshua. The Messiah said, “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matt. 21:22). He also said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7). “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).

What about unanswered prayer? Following are ten reasons why prayers are unanswered. Please take the time to read the corresponding verses, and do a heart check as you enter 2025. Also note: both 2025 and 5785 have 5’s in them, God’s number for GRACE. Our Father stands ready to forgive, forget, give second (plus) chances, and graciously change unanswered prayers to answered ones.

Causes of prayers being unanswered [not an exhaustive list]: Unbelief (Matt. 21:22); Sin and Secret Sin (Psalm 66:18); Not Honoring Wives (I Pet. 3:7); Unrighteousness (I Pet. 3:12); Giving Up (Luke 18:1); Unwise Prayer (James 4:3); Disobedience ( I Jn. 3:22); Lack of Mercy (Prov. 21:13); Despising the Law (Prov. 28:9); and Iniquity (Is. 59:2).

Prayer: The Jewish Root

A well-known traditional rabbi, Abraham Joshua Heschel, defines prayer as follows: “Prayer is an invitation to God to intervene in our lives, to let His will prevail in our affairs; it is the opening of a window to Him in our will, an effort to make Him the Lord of our soul.” As beautiful as this thought is, there is something missing: a personal connection, heart-to-heart relationship and communion with the Creator through His Son. This has always saddened me. God longs to intervene! But His will includes acknowledging Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah and the atonement for all sin, first for the Jew, then the Gentile. He is the Bridge and the God-ordained connection to fellowship with the Father. Our Jewish people have the root but not the fruit! It is God’s will that we pray for Him to reveal Himself to the House of Israel— to remove the scales, lift the veil, and make Messiah known.

There are some awesome insights on Jewish prayer in Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Spangler and Tverberg. They comment that in the early first century, Jewish life was saturated with prayer. After the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., the Jewish people came to think of their prayers as a substitute for the sacrifices that could no longer be offered. That is why three daily prayer times developed, following the pattern of the thrice daily temple sacrifices (see Psalm 55:17).

Prayer—tefillah  (teh-fee-LAH) in Hebrew—evolved into a tradition of offering specific, short prayers of blessing called b’rakhot (beh-rah-KHOT) throughout the day. These are still said by observant Jews today to remind themselves of God all day long. (Most probably the origin of I Thess. 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”) Each b’rahkha begins the same way, “Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the universe.” In Hebrew: “Barukh Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melekh haOlam.”

Since prayers in traditional Judaism are fixed, not spontaneous, a mindset for prayers is highly suggested. It is called kavanah (kah-vah-NAH) and is considered a way to keep prayer from being mere rote repetition. Kavanah means concentration, intent, direction, and devotion. Tefillah without kavanah is considered just lip-service, not a service of the heart—avodah shebalev  (ah-voh-DAH sheh-bah-LEV)—serving God sacrificially through prayer.

This is very different from praising, thanking, and worshipping God from a personal two-way love relationship. I remember a service at Temple Aron HaKodesh years ago when the visiting pre-believing Israeli seated behind me was astounded and very moved by the “kavanah” of Eva, the worship leader. He told me that he was worried that she might fly away with God! He had never experienced the reality of Holy Spirit moving in and through a believer. Kavanah in Messianic Judaism is called the “anointing.” The Ruach HaKodesh makes all the difference in prayer. As Rabbi Saul says in I Corinthians 14:15, “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.”

Yeshua’s Prayer: Based in Judaism

When the Messiah gave His disciples a model prayer known as the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13), He told them not to be like the hypocrites, to be seen by men, but to pray to their Father in the secret place. He also told them not to be like the pagans, trying to impress Him with their many words. Rather, Yeshua wanted them to pray as follows, Avinu Shebashamayim (ah-VEE-noo sheh-bahshah-MYEEM):

Our Father in heaven “Our Father” rather than “my Father” reflects Jewish tradition. Jewish prayers tend to involve community prayer for the needs of the whole people instead of focusing on individual needs.

Hallowed be Thy name This is the first line of the Kaddish (Mourner’s Prayer) in Judaism, as well as the prayer that separates the sections of the Orthodox prayer service.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. This is a line from the “Aleynu” prayer said at the conclusion of a prayer service and the Mussaf service on Yom Kippur. A very Jewish concept: that every nation on earth will repent and worship the true God of heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. In Hebrew, the word lekhem (bread) can also mean food in general. This is also found in the first paragraph of the Jewish Grace After Meals. Lekhem also represents God’s sustenance as a whole and His providing for all our needs.

And forgive us our trespasses This line is repeated many times in Yom Kippur prayers.

As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. The Hebrew word for evil, ra רה (RAH), is broad—meaning danger or misfortune, as well as sin. It is asking for God’s help both physically and spiritually to avoid those things that will ultimately destroy our lives.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory The Jewish phrase translates as “the greatness and the power and the glory” and is a line recited in a Sabbath morning prayer.

Forever and ever From generation to generation—L’dor v’dor  (leh’DOHR veh-DOHR)

Amen. Amen is a Hebrew word from the verb “to believe.” Amen means, “I believe this,” “it is certain,” “truly.”

Pray for Israel

Since the war began in Israel in October 2023, the nation and its people have been in a state of trauma. So many lives lost and families displaced. Over sixty hostages are still believed to be alive in the dungeons of Hamas. All this and a world ready to believe every lie told about Israel, the IDF, and Benjamin Netanyahu. In a recent article by Leon Mazin, a Messianic Jewish Israeli in Haifa, the writer says that he sees an unprecedented proliferation of lies everywhere today—in politics, the news, medicine, statistics, and even the climate. He encourages believers to seek the Lord’s discernment to evaluate everything in its true light and to expose the lies of haSatan concerning Israel. Pray for truth to be revealed. God is calling us as His children to stand in the gap for His people Israel and be watchmen on the wall (Ez. 22:30-31; Is. 62:6-7).

Pray, according to James 1:5 and James 3:17, for wisdom for Israel’s leaders, cabinet, prime minister, and generals. Pray for God’s direction as they make weighty decisions every day. Pray for courage to triumph over the evil that is threatening their annihilation and for the Lord Himself to deal a mortal blow to the “head of the snake,” Iran, and the stronghold of Islam.

As we continue to pray for the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza (and comfort for their families), also pray for all the Israelis who weekly, if not daily, rush to find refuge in bomb shelters throughout the country. Thank you, Jewish Jewels partners, for making it possible for this ministry to pay for one of these shelters. May Israelis who see our name on it find us on YouTube and find eternal shelter in the Messiah.

Pray as You Go!

God hears and answers prayer, on land and on the sea. Sheryl, my dear friend and Jewish Jewels administrator of over thirty years, went with me on a cruise that my husband Neil had planned before going to heaven. We prayed before we left that God would use us for His glory on the trip and give us many divine appointments. We also asked many of you to pray with and for us. God answered prayer, beyond our wildest expectations. Due to lack of space, I will just give you a few highlights. In Belize, a shopkeeper was so moved as we prayed for her that she asked if we could accompany her to an inside mall to pray for a hurting friend. We did and witnessed to another woman there at the same time. On board the ship, we found ourselves alone with two sisters in a warm spa pool. Both Jewish, one from South Florida, they were totally engaged with us for over thirty minutes as we shared our faith in Messiah. Hugs, seashells, and books followed. There was an interdenominational church service on board the ship on two Sunday nights and a traditional Shabbat service on Friday night. Passengers were supposed to decide among themselves who would lead the services. No one was willing to volunteer—except me, and Sheryl as song leader! So—we went from leading the Christian services to the Jewish service. Very wild! Sheryl and I have a fairly long list of people we prayed with, including many tour guides. Final thrill: Renee from our Sunday night service texted her son in prison about the meeting and Jamie of Jewish Jewels who led it. He replied to her in disbelief, “You met JAMIE? I have been receiving her letters here in prison for over three years.” GOD MADE A CONNECTION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN. (He really hears a mother’s prayers!) Pray and keep praying (Ps. 139:9-10).

A Dangerous (but Necessary) Prayer

While I much prefer personal, spontaneous prayer to written ones, once in a while I find one that touches my heart and agrees with what I want to say, but have not yet said. I chose the following prayer for 2025: “O Lord, sift away all the dross from my heart, all the coldness and selfishness, let it depart; all the envy and pride, the apathy too, and the prejudiced thoughts which make me untrue; the worldly ambitions and pleasures galore, which constantly come to knock at my door. All the hardness of heart, all luke-warmness and fear, all the idols which hinder my feeling Thee near. All the works of the flesh, all desire for praise, self-pity and weakness which threaten always. All anxiety, worry and dread, sift it out, with every last vestige, hatred and greed, sift me, and lift me until I am freed from all bondage to sin, and ready to meet The Bridegroom from glory and fall at His feet.” – Laura Davies Holt

Praying for you for abundant grace and answered prayer in 2025. Love and Shalom,

P.S. Sadly, we are no longer on CTN, Direct TV, or Dish Network. Our economy has resulted in reduced giving. It is only with the help of your financial support, and the grace of God, that we will be able to continue for another year. Please pray about your partnership with us.

P.P.S. Enclosed is a prayer prompt from Intercessors for Israel with suggested prayers for the USA in 2025.