The Atheists Church

"And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor" (Luke 5:12-16).

Show me someone who says he"s never prayed, and I will show you someone who has never been in severe turbulence. Jesus went to a mountain to pray. It's good to get away from the business of everyday life and get among God's creation. Nature isn't the result of nothing creating everything. The mountains, the trees, flowers, birds and a million and one other things on God's green earth are an expression of the genius of His creative hand. You may disagree if you wish, but it doesn't change anything.

Jesus continued all night in prayer, then He chose His disciples. One of them was Judas Iscariot, the betrayer. Didn’t God answer His prayer and let Him know that He should have avoided Judas. Not according to Scripture. Jesus said, "Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (John 6:70).

Judas had the same choice as the other disciples. He could have been genuine in his faith, but instead, he played the hypocrite, and it was only a matter of time until his hypocrisy was exposed. His love of money overcame him.

So is the way of the hypocrite. He has the same choice that Judas had. He can follow Jesus and keep his heart free from sin, but he secretly serves his own lusts, and it’s only a matter of time until he returns to sin like a dog returns to its vomit.

Charles Spurgeon said of Jesus, "If ever one of woman born might have lived without prayer, it was our spotless, perfect Lord, and yet none was ever so much in supplication as He! Such was his love to His Father, that He loved much to be in communion with Him: such His love for His people, that He desired to be much in intercession for them. The fact of this eminent prayerfulness of Jesus is a lesson for us—He has given us an example that we may follow in His steps."