Daily Prayer_March 9, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 9:4-5 (AMP)
⁴ Whoever is simple (easily led astray and wavering), let him turn in here! As for him who lacks understanding, [God's] Wisdom says to him, ⁵ Come, eat of my bread and drink of the [spiritual] wine which I have mixed.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 149:1 (HCSB)
Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly.

The Word for encouragement:

Luke 22:45-46 (HCSB)
⁴⁵ When He got up from prayer and came to the disciples, He found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. ⁴⁶ "Why are you sleeping?" He asked them. "Get up and pray, so that you won't enter into temptation."

My observation:

There is never a time or condition when we are more prepared to face the trials and temptations of life than we are alone with the Father in prayer.

The experience of the three disciples who went with Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane learned an invaluable lesson that night. Our failures can reap the benefit of learning some of life's most enduring lessons.

Jesus had admonished the disciples to pray, but at that point they had not yet fully grasped the importance of prayer. The disciples were asleep, when they should have been awake, and praying with Jesus.

If you are sleeping you can't see the temptation coming. If you fail to pray you will be powerless to overcome the temptation.

The lesson the disciples learned from this experience is that dependence and trust in God are indispensable. If Jesus needed to pray in his hour of temptation, then certainly all of God's children need to pray.

Matthew 26:41 (HCSB)
Stay awake and pray, so that you won't enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

My prayer:

Father God, thank you for waking me up early this morning, and starting me on my day. I can identify with the hymn writer who wrote, "I've seen the lighting flashing and heard the thunder roll". Father, I thank you that I have a peace within me in knowing that I am never alone during the time that I spend alone with you in prayer.

Father, how sweet it is to my soul to simply trust in you, and not to lean on my own understanding, and my meager means. Father, I pray for the grace to stay humble, watchful, and prayerful so that I will see temptation coming, and have the power to overcome whatever Satan throws in my pathway.

My song:

Never Alone (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Never_Alone/

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://www.herbcotton.org
To receive via email: Send request to me at: herb@herbcotton.org

Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB)
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; ⁶ think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.