A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton
God Speaks:
Luke 6:12-13 King James Version (KJV)
12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
Listen to God Speak & Obey:
What should a godly preacher do before preaching? If you are a Christ follower, why not do what Jesus did before he taught? In fact, before doing anything, the history of the ministry of Jesus is that he sought his father’s will through prayer. Notice from our text that Jesus had a special place to pray, and he spent plenty of time in prayer.
Oh, how we need to be able to sing that old hymn of the faithful about our personal prayer life and connection with Our Father in Heaven.
“O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!”
Hymn: Draw Me Nearer by Fanny Jane Crosby (1820-1915}
In verses, Luke 6:14-16, you can find the names of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+6%3A14-16&version=KJV
Now, let us turn our attention to what happened after Jesus prayed and preached that great sermon in which he ordained the twelve apostles he had chosen to be world changers.
Luke 6:17-19 King James Version (KJV)
17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
My dear family, friends and neighbors; I beg you, don’t attempt to do the work of God without praying. If Jesus needed to pray, then what about you and me.
Luke 6:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Prayer:
Our Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, forgives us for forfeiting the privilege and invitation You have given to us of taking everything to You in prayer. Father, we ask You to stir up within us the desire to be devoted to prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Colossians 4:2 New Living Translation (NLT)
An Encouragement for Prayer
2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
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