<TITLE>05. Par 17-20</TITLE>L-17 Now, Jesus put much time in prayer. One day there He told His disciples; He said, "Now, cross over to the other side." He sent them away while He went up in the mountain to pray. While He was up there alone, really... a storm coming up. I believe, I don't know, but I believe if I'd been the disciples, I'd said, "I know He told us to go over, but I--I believe I'll just wait till He comes and goes along." I'd like for Him to be along in these cases, don't you?
So we see Him now going up into the mountain to pray. The disciples thrust out into the sea and picked up their oars, and their little ship's sail went up, and away they started, oaring across to the other side where Jesus was to meet them on the other side. Then going in the absence of the Holy Spirit, or Christ then in visible form, on the road over trouble set in. And usually, if you start anywhere without Christ, trouble's on its road. Just as soon as the devil sees you out of fellowship with Christ, right then he will set out for you as hard as he can. Just as soon as he sees you away from prayer, away from consecration, Satan will catch you right then if he possibly can.

L-18 You know, it's... One night when Billy Paul, here, my boy, he was a little, bitty fellow. And we was living in a little, two-roomed cabin. And my wife had put this floor wax on the linoleum, on the floor, and it was real slick on the floor, and we had an old bucket out in the other room, the kitchen: had two rooms. And we were sleeping in the front room, and the next room was the kitchen. And the bucket of water set out there, the dipper. And so he woke up, and he said, "Daddy?"
And I said, "What?" A little, bitty fellow.
He said, "I want a drink."
And I said, "Well," oh, I was so tired, and my, I'd walked through the patrolling. I said, "Honey, could you go get a drink there? It's just--just inside the door."
He said, "Daddy, come, go with me."
And I said, "Oh, there's nothing will hurt you, honey; just go inside the door."
He said, "Daddy, I'm afraid to go 'less you go with me."

L-19 I thought, "Poor, little fellow." That's right. "God, I'm afraid to go too, 'less You go with me. Father, I know that it's all right. You ordained ministers to go preach the Gospel, but if You don't go with me, I'm afraid. You come go with me."
So I got up and felt around, got him by the hand. We started through the room. And just as we started through the room, she had one of these little rugs laying in there, and the little fellow slipped, and would've pitched right forward on his face, if I didn't have a hold of his hand. And I held him up, like that, to keep him from smashing right down on his face. I thought, "Truly, God, that's right. Just hold my hand in these slippery, dark places and things, while I'm searching for the water of Life. You just hold my hand as I move along."

L-20 Jesus and them went up... I mean, the disciples went away without Christ. Jesus went up on the mountain alone to pray. There was a battle to be fought just across the other side. Him being the--the King of all prophets, the Son of God, virgin born, knowing what the Father would have Him do, He knew, felt the pressure of that battle coming. So He got up in the mountain alone to pray. That's the way.
And as He was a praying, He looked down upon the sea, as the sun was going down, the winds was contrary, and the little, old boat twisting and flipping around, just about to go under. They was scared, the little old ship filling up. They were oaring with all they had in them. And they happened to look, along about dark, and here come a Man, walking on the waters, going on a past them. He could get over all right. So here He come walking a past them, and they got scared, and thought they seen something, a--a spirit, what we would say today, something spooky. Here comes a Man walking on the water, walking by them, and they were scared and were troubled. Here's the point: the only thing that could help them, they were scared of It.


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