Very, Very cold here today. My coffee cup is full of Door County Apple Cobbler. My fireplace is burning and the dogs are laying on my feet.
New Years Day! A day for resolutions. Lose weight, work out more, date my spouse, read my Bible more, attend church more, look for a new job, clean off my desk, visit relatives more. What was yours? Let me offer a suggestion.
In 2012 the world has seen war, genocide, mass murders, shootings in schools, earth quakes, flooding, tornadoes, fiscal disasters, illness and much more. What a grim subject to start the year.
The Prayer in the Garden Luke 22:39-45
39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.[e]
45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”
You see in our text that when the night before Jesus faced the cross He went to pray. Now notice this was His custom. Jesus prayed and he invited His disciples to join Him. How about this for 2013? Resolve to pray more. Join or form a prayer group. Attend prayer meetings in your church. Be a man or woman of prayer. Lead others to pray. Jesus often prayed alone but He also prayed with others. Do not be afraid or too stubborn to join with people to pray! Here is what God says on prayer.
James 5:13-18
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses[e] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Sometimes less is best. I end letting God's Word speak for Him.
Have a wonderful day. God bless.
Marty
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