Grace & Truth Chapel
131 Fardale Avenue ~ Mahwah, New Jersey
Phone 201-327-6226 ~ E-mail gtchapel@juno.com

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"The Example of Prayer" (posted March 1, 2010)

  He [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
   - Luke 6:12

What an example Christ is! From Him we learn that in the midst of all confusion and activity of service, we should never forget prayer. If we neglect it because of the activity of ministering the Word of God, we will lose the insight we need and the power to set it forth.

We see our Lord in the midst of all His activities and untiring service, robbing sleep to be alone with His Father. If He, the Son of God, felt the need for that, how much more should we poor feeble creatures feel the need to be alone with Him who is the source of all our strength?

When He prayed all night, what did He pray for? Scripture does not say, but when He came down He selectred the twelve apostles. May we not believe that He considered with the Father the character of each to be selected? The impulsiveness of Peter, the loyalty of John, the boldness of others, and, alas, also the treachery of Judas. Only then, after having reviewed it all with His Father, did He unflinchingly select each one according to the will of the Father.

Thus we are given not only a glimpse into His holy life, but we are also given he secret of how to receive guidance for the operation and government of the assembly [that is, the local church]. It is so easy to get into a spirit of strife, to seek our own wills, to seek our own vindication, or even, alas, to vent our own displeasure! Oh, if we spend time alone with God in prayer, He will give us the guidance we need to properly deal with any problems He entrusts to us.

Samuel Ridout



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