Bible Verse of the Day Saturday February 18th, 2023

Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Incredibly, a significant part of the Old and New Testaments are devoted to prayer. The examples of people that prayer was a foundational building block of their lives are too numerous to count. Prayer is unconditionally linked with implementing teachings and principles and proclaiming the beautiful promises that await all devoted and faithful followers and believers in Christ Jesus. We do not get very far in our reading of the Bible before we see that “at that time people began to call on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26). Illustrations are abundant; we see Jacob struggling with God and being blessed, having his name changed to Israel (Genesis 32:24-28). Then there is a young man named Daniel that was uprooted from his homeland and exiled to a foreign land. However, this did not deter his tenacity in praying three (3) times a day. Finally, Paul and Silas endured an unmerciful beating and thrown into a dungeon-style prison cell. Instead of throwing a pity party, they prayed and sang Hymns (Acts 16:25-26). This impromptu prayer meeting led to the release of these two missionaries and the salvation of the jailer and his entire household.

There can be no doubt that whatever God has made prevalent in His Holy Word, He planned and purposed for it to be predominant in our walk with our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. God has spoken volumes about prayer in His Word because it is necessary for the life of a child of God. Our needs are plentiful and will remain that way until we are at home with Christ Jesus. If, by chance, someone might believe that they need nothing, they are painfully unaware of the magnitude of their spiritual poverty. Prayer is the lifeblood shield and weapon that every soldier of God requires to fight the forces of evil every day as long as we are here in this life. Prayer is also the elegy and lament of the believer about departing this life and going home to be with Christ Jesus.

As followers and believers in Christ Jesus, we should fervently pray that we have a closer relationship with Christ today than we had yesterday and that we might be closer to Him tomorrow than we are today. Our daily prayers should also include a petition to our Lord and Savior that we might be a better example of Christ Jesus to those around us that do not know Him as their Lord and Savior. Finally, pray that we would be a good reflector for the Light of Christ Jesus that shines out into this lost, dark, and dying world.

Rejoice always and pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)