WATCH AND PRAY

WORD OF WISDOM
PRAYER ~ "Prayer is like the dove that Noah sent forth, which blessed him not only when it returned with an olive-leaf in its mouth, but when it never returned at all."

Source: Easton's Bible Dictionary



Source: ChristArt.com

Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.

Our Lord does not direct them to pray to God that no temptation might befall them, but that they might not be overcome by the temptations in which they must be involved. The need of such prayer was shown by Peter's denial.

Your spirit: yourselves. The flesh - Your nature. How gentle a rebuke was this, and how kind an apology, especially at a time when our Lord's own mind was so weighed down with sorrow.

It is well for us that our salvation is in the hand of One who neither slumbers nor sleeps. All are tempted, but we should be much afraid of entering into temptation. To be secured from this, we should watch and pray, and continually look unto the Lord to hold us up that we may be safe. Doubtless our Lord had a clear and full view of the sufferings He was to endure, yet He spoke with the greatest calmness till this time.

Christ suffered being tempted; probably horrible thoughts were suggested by satan that tended to be nothing but gloom: these would be the more hard to bear from His perfect holiness. And did the load of imputed guilt so weigh down the soul of Him of whom it is said, He upholdeth all things by the word of His power? Into what misery then must those sink whose sins are left upon their own heads.

As the disciples were unmoved by their Master’s danger, their attention is directed to themselves, that a conviction of their own danger may arouse them. Christ therefore threatens that, if they do not watch and pray, they may be soon overwhelmed by temptation. And let us observe, that the manner of resistance which is here shown is, not to draw courage from reliance on our own strength and perseverance, but, on the contrary, from a conviction of our weakness, to ask arms and strength from the Lord. Our watching, therefore, will be of no avail without prayer.

Strange that such words had no effect. But so it was, and so deep was the apostles’ sleep that Christ left them undisturbed the second time. The relapse is worse than the original disease. Sleep broken and resumed is more fatal than if it had not been interrupted.

This admonition relates properly to believers, who, being regenerated by the Spirit of God, are desirous to do what is right, but still labor under the weakness of the flesh; for though the grace of the Spirit is vigorous in them, they are weak according to the flesh.

How will those escape who neglect so great salvation?

God's Blessings to each of you,
LJG/rECj

Sorry we are late again. Our rECj's computer isn't working for some unknown reason(cause she is writing an outstanding series of articles).

This will tell you why she does most of the writings. I was up and ready to get the article on line but MY computer wouldn't say logged in. My son says, "Oh no mama, you have a virus." He tells me to do a system restore but I decided to run a full scan instead. Well let me tell you after about 30 minutes of signing on and getting the scanning running again and again, this little sign comes on with, "YOUR BATTERY IS LOW, ETC," Yep ya'll I didn't plug the charger all the way in!!!! Now you can see that I sometimes just plain ain't too bright. But I am so thankful that God loves me in spite of all my short comings. LJG