So pray ...

Jesus taught His disciples how to pray and not how to preach. The result of prayerless life and prayerful life of the disciples is an eye-opener for all of us.

Mathew 26:40-41
"Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. 'Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?' he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

Prayerless disciples ...

The disciples didn't pray with the Saviour in Gethsemane. Following were the consequences:

1. Flesh takes over the spirit Mathew 26:51 "...One of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear."

Though the disciples ministered along with Jesus Christ, when they lacked prayer, circumstances influenced their character. Jesus had taught his disciples to love their neighbours as themselves, and to even love their enemies. But the disciples disobeyed His teaching when they didn't pray. Infact Jesus had even told them so many times that He would soon be handed over into the hands of sinful men to be crucified. But they failed to grasp that as they were not watchful in prayer. Their flesh overtook their spirit.

2. Going away from God

Mathew 26:56 "...Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.".

Prayer keeps us close to God. When we lack in prayer we will also flee from the Lord.

3. Witnessing for Christ becomes hard

Mathew 26:69-70 "Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. 'You also were with Jesus of Galilee,' she said. But he denied it before them all."

Witnessing for Christ before men becomes hard when we lack in prayer.

Prayerful disciples ...

The same disciples realized what they were lacking and started praying.

Acts 1:14 "They all joined together constantly in prayer ..."

When they prayed together in the upper room, the Holy Spirit filled them and they started witnessing boldly for Christ! In the name of Jesus, Peter was able to bring healing to the lame man sitting at the gates of the temple. They started performing many miracles and signs to bring glory to God.

What a great difference between a prayerless life and a prayerful life! So pray ...

Can't wait to see daddy!

Just the other day, a thought was shared in our prayer fellowship, which is a simple but profound one. It goes like this ...

We ought to come before God, not like a beggar, but like a child. Everyone who receives Jesus has rightfully become a child of God (read John 1:12-13).

The beggar keeps begging for this and that. Just like that, when we go before God the Father, we shouldn't keep on asking for this and that.

The child, on the other hand, is longing to see dad come back home in the evening. S/he is waiting at the door, stretching to see if s/he can catch the first glimpse of dad returning home. That's the kind of eagerness we need to develop - longing to see God the Father's face. Spending time with Him. Getting to know Him more and more.

Photo courtesy: Afroswede

Escaping the Lure of Sin

Are you really serious about gaining victory over temptation? If you are, are you willing to take a few steps back?

Do you have habits that are continually taking you down the wrong path? While some temptations occur unexpectedly, others are more predictable. Those that happen routinely provide a unique opportunity for you to plan how you will handle the situation––ahead of time.

This is a simple and effective principle to break-free from Dr. Charles Stanley. Read the whole article.

Introduce Jesus: the only hope!

When the parents are slaves to alcohol and drugs, the children suffer. In a clinic in Ukraine, lie many young children suffering from tuberculosis. They are either orphaned or abandoned by an abusive family.

But there is also Oksana Chernota, a volunteer who tells the children about Jesus. Every week she goes to the clinic to sing with them, play games, and teach them the Bible.

"My heart is just for them, to teach them the Bible because that is their only hope. There is no other hope but God," she said.

"You have to play; you have to talk to them; you have to know their need; what their pain is; what their sorrows are; what they like to do. Then they open their hearts, then they attach to you, and then you can show them what Jesus can do for them," she said.

The doctor says many of these children have stopped smoking because of Chernota's influence.

Jesus said, "do not stop the little children from coming to Me". An abusive family, a drug-addicted parent, no roof to call as their shelter, no assurance of their next meal - all of these can stop them from reaching God's love. That's when we need to be God's hands, God's feet and share the love of God in a practical way.

Remember, God didn't stop with words of love toward us, but sent His only Son to suffer and die for us. He is a God of action. We need to be His children of action.

The Orphaned, the Widowed, the Young, the Old

Jesus said:
... the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Gracious Home is a home for the aged and destitute people. Little Flock is a home for the orphaned children. They show God's love in a practical way. [Find some photos of these two places on flickr]

What have we done for the Orphaned, the Widowed, the Young, the Old? What have we done for Jesus?

Read a full account of God's judgement that each one of us needs to face in the not so distant future. Be prepared!