Psalm of the Day: Psalm 119:145-152
Wisdom of the Day: Job 42:7-9
Scripture Reading: Luke 10:1-7
The first point in our Lord's charge to the seventy disciples is the importance of prayer. This is the leading thought with which our Lord opens His address. Before He tells His ambassadors what to do, He first bids them to pray, "Pray to the the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into his harvest."
Prayer is one of the best and most powerful means of helping forward the cause of Christ in the world! It is a means within the reach of all who have the Spirit of adoption. Not all believers have money to give to missions, but all believers can pray for the success of the Gospel. Many and marvelous are the answers to prayer which are recorded for our learning in the Bible. "The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16).
Prayer is one of the principal weapons we ought to use. To be obedient, we all must give ourselves to prayer. This, above all, is the way to procure helpers to carry on Christ's work. Colleges may educate men. Pastors may ordain them. Patrons may give them wages. But God alone can raise up and send forth "laborers" who will do work among souls. For a constant supply of such laborers, let us daily pray.
Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, teach me to pray.
Action Plan: Take an honest evaluation of your prayer life. Where do you need to improve? How will you do it?
This devotional was taken from The Gospel of Luke by J.C. Ryle published in 1858
and adapted by Pastor Tim Lewis of New England Shores Baptist Church.
