Today's Passage - Romans 12:12-13

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 12:12-13    Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.   How can we be joyful in hope and patient in affliction? Paul told us a secret, which is to be faithful in prayer. When we face all kinds of difficulties in our life, are we faithful in prayer, for all our backslides and weaknesses all start with being unfaithful in prayer? The night before our Lord Jesus was betrayed, he was facing the road to the cross, and his heart was filled with fear and sorrow. So he took some apostles to pray, hoping that these apostles could pray with him in unity. When Jesus Christ was receiving more and more power and faith through prayer, the hearts of these apostles were filled with fear and sorrow, and they fell asleep instead.   How is your prayer life? Aren't we just like these apostles, working throughout the day like fighting a battle, taking care of household chores and children after returning home, then feeling sleepy after finally getting our own quiet time? Many people would start their prayer before sleep, and conclude with amen on the next morning. They would fall asleep right after they started to read the scripture and pray. We just pardon ourselves, saying: "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Brothers and sisters, I know that your flesh is weak. But you cannot keep being weak. We have to learn how to pray in order to face our everyday life. Never think prayer is useless. Rather, prayer can bring to you spiritual wisdom and perception to overcome all the attacks from Satan. After Jesus finished his third prayer in Gethsemane, he saw the apostles still asleep. So he told them: "Get up. Let's go!" Jesus meant getting up to pray. They thought he told them to get up from sleep. Two orders were same in the "getting up" part, but the results were totally different. Jesus' heart was filled with peace and assurance, and wisdom and power to face interrogations and whipping by Pilate and the officials. Even Pilate didn't know how to deal with him, for his speech was full of authority. But these apostles who just got up from sleep panicked right away. One of them cut off an ear of the servant of high priest with a sword. Peter was filled with fear so he disowned Jesus three times before a group of servants and maids, while others fled after they sensed the danger. You see, praying or not praying may bring about totally different results.   After the Lord Jesus was resurrected and ascended, the apostles waited for the arrival of the Spirit by praying in a house for ten days. When they received the Spirit, they were filled with wisdom and authority. If you compare how the apostles were in the Gospels and in Acts, you will find that they are totally different. The apostles in the Gospels were so weak and sleepy. They wanted promotion and wealth, but they were afraid of afflictions and death. They were just like you and me. But in Acts, they were no longer afraid of death or beating. When they were in jail, they sang hymns. And they were so powerful in preaching, healing and casting the demons.   Brothers and sisters, when we face all kinds of stress, trial and afflictions every day, do you want to be alert with Jesus Christ and pray to conquer, or fail and backslide in sleep like the apostles?             Pray with Pastor Tong            Dear Lord, thank you for setting a good example for us. May the Spirit give us a zealous spirit of prayer, so that we not only pray for ourselves, but also intercede for God's kingdom. May the Lord let us experience your released power in prayer, so as to make your grace flow in prayer. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!