The Bible records all different kinds of praying. Public praying like Jesus did at the tomb of Lazarus before the crowd that had formed that day. Short prayers like “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. The blessing of food prayers that the Lord would pray before serving people bread. There are all manners of praying we do like sitting on the porch in the morning. Praying in the car on the way to work. Giving thanks for our food and asking God to bless it. Short prayers throughout the day for various reasons like someone asking us to pray for their needs. All of these are good and valid but the Lord Jesus repeatedly throughout the gospel books had a habit of withdrawing himself, finding a place to be alone and praying to the Father.

Last week we celebrated Resurrection Sunday and there were more people here than I can remember in a long while. I am blessed to work with several people who profess hope in the Lord Jesus Christ and the story was they same at all the assemblies they attend. More people than usual, packed houses, new faces and so on. The thought occurred to me that many people, maybe even most people in our part of the country, believe at least mentally that Jesus Christ arose from the dead. But it’s not the kind of belief that brings them back to the house of God the Sunday after. They may never really think anything of Christ until next year at this same time if we’re blessed to see it.

Text: 1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
This verse tells us that sin did not originate with Adam and Eve, but that it began long before them. This verse tells us that the devil is the father of sin because it started with him. Contrary to what some may believe, God did not create a devil. He created an angel that became the devil. The origin of sin is found in…