Luke 6:12-16 (The Message)
The Twelve Apostles 12-16At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God. The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, Andrew, his brother, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, Simon, called the Zealot, Judas, son of James, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
The Twelve Apostles 12-16At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God. The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, Andrew, his brother, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, Simon, called the Zealot, Judas, son of James, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Its amazing how difficult it can be to get people together to pray for one hour much less one night. Jesus, the Son of God, who was in the beginning and the end, who is the word made flesh, and whom dwelt among us, who is the fullness of the Godhead bodily, found it necessary to go to a place and pray. Notice it doesn't say he went and prayed for thirty minutes to one hour because He had things He needed to take care of. No! He prayed all night long, knowing that His Father's will was more important than the cares of this world. He knew He had a big decision to make in picking the twelve Apostles.
O.K. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. If Jesus Christ thought it was important to pray before a decision is made in His life, Who do we think we are to think that we only need to pray for five minutes a day or maybe even over our meals. No, no, no! We need intimacy with God.
Intimacy comes from Intercessary prayer. Intercession is intimate partnership and agreement with God—it is intimacy. Wow, to be intimate with God. Prayer is an exchange of romance. God speaks to us and it moves our hearts. When we speak back to God, His heart is moved. God desires to establish or deepen this romantic relationship with us. He desires intimacy with us. He wants us to know His heart and more so, to feel the very emotions of His heart, and then He wants to hear us cry out for the longings of His heart to come to pass. His longings become our longings. It’s partnership at the most intimate level possible.
Follow the example of Jesus.
Prayer is crucial!
In Christ
1 comment:
More, More, More, Lord; That's what I long for! This level of intimacy comes with a price. Just like you said, It's gonna require diying to the flesh and letting your spirit man rise up in intercesion. This is the place where you will build and strengthen your PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with the Lord. Man, I can't get enough~!!!
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