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The Bible Says
"And when he had sent the multitude away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come he was there alone" (Matt. 14:23). Other ministries are important but there are times when the most important thing we can do is to get alone with God. Jesus had just miraculously fed 5,000 men plus women and children. It would have been a good time to tell these people about God while they were still wide-eyed because of the tremendous miracle just performed! Instead He told His disciples to go by boat to the other side of the lake while He sent the multitude away. Then He climbed the mountain to a secluded place where He could be ALONE WITH HIS HEAVENLY FATHER. Few people are aware of how important prayer is and what a privilege it is to spend time alone with God.
Teach me Lord, to keep sweet and gentle in all the events of life, in disappointments, in thoughtlessness of others, in the insincerity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied. Help me to put myself aside, to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches, so that I may be the only one to suffer from them. Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes to me. Help me to use it that it may mellow me, not harden or embitter me; that it may make me broad in my forgiveness; kindly, sympathetic, and helpful.
-Author unknown This little prayer is the heart-cry of every true believer. The secret is finding time in this busy world to get alone with God long enough to permit Him to impart His grace to our hearts and lives. No matter how important or crucial the circumstances, Jesus always found time to get ALONE with the Heavenly Father, thus setting for us the perfect example.Our hearts go out to those who are crippled or maimed and confined to their beds or wheel-chairs; and thus miss out on doing the things other people do. They are just as human as the rest of us, but are shut-in and confined to their homes. A few brave individuals have even turned their handicap into a source of blessing
-Author unknown Recently we were returning from Grand Rapids and were within a few blocks from home when suddenly Ken applied the brakes and proceeded to turn the car around. Someone was stalled on the highway and in need of help. It turned out to be a friend of ours who lives some 8 miles out of Deer River. Through a series of circumstances he found himself sitting on the highway with two vehicles. He was going to tow the one car home but had no one to steer it. That left him in a rather serious predicament. He sat there wondering what to do next. Then at last he decided to talk to God about it. He had barely prayed when we came around the corner and was delighted because Ken stopped to help him. I don't believe this neighbor normally spends as much time in daily devotions as we do, but he prayed that day and was glad to give God the glory for answered prayer! How blessed it is that there is One on whom we can call in time of need! Glorious as is the fact that God answers our prayers; there is another factor even more breath-taking and that is the fact that we mortals, undeserving as we are, can actually enjoy a blessed, sweet relationship with our Lord. Praise God for His Marvelous Grace!
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