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| Volume 25 Number 6 June 2023 |
Page 11 |
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| Volume 25 Number 6 June 2023 |
Page 11 |
Eddie Cooper
Many of us have memorized 1 Thessalonians 5:17, or at least have heard it quoted many times. Paul states: “Pray without ceasing” (NKJV). Someone told me we could state it another way, “Do not cease your prayer life.” What Paul encouraged was a spirit of prayer always accompanying us through life. What a wonderful blessing as we go through the activities of each day. We are mindful that God is fully aware of what is going on in our lives.
We read in Colossians 4:2-4, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” We need to pray often for open doors – opportunities to share with others the Gospel message about Jesus. Even though Paul was a prisoner, that did not cause him to lose his desire and hope for open doors for sharing the Gospel. As we go through life, we must look for opportunities with our hearts and eyes to take advantage of encounters we have in our lives to teach and influence others to love God and to keep His commandments (John 14:15).
