Tag: Power of God

Why Should You Pray?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 5:1-3 King James Version (KJV)

5 Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

I don’t believe that we can do anything that will please God more than being in constant communication with him. We need the presence of the Lord in our lives every minute of every day; there is never a time when we can make it alone.

Notice what Jesus said that John records in the Gospel of John.

John 14:12-14 King James Version (KJV)

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.

Do you desire with all of your heart to glorify God?  Then we must stay connected to God through prayer. That is the what Jesus did during his earthly ministry, and we should follow in his steps.

Notice a couple of examples of the prayer life of Jesus.

Matthew 14:23 King James Version (KJV)

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

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.

If Jesus had to pray, then surely we need to pray. Lord, teach us to pray as you taught your disciples to pray.

Prayer:

Matthew 6:9-13 King James Version (KJV)

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

— 

Link to my new devotional book Amazon Author’s Page. Everything about the book is found there with pictures, and more to come.
 

How Did Jesus Prepare to Lead and Preach?

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.

—

Link to my new devotional book Amazon Author’s Page. Everything about the book is found there with pictures, and more to come.