At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me…. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear. 2 Timothy 4:16, 17.
When Paul was summoned to appear before the emperor Nero for trial, it was with the near prospect of certain death…. Among the Christians at Rome, there was not one who came forward to stand by him in that trying hour…. Paul before Nero—how striking the contrast! … The name of Nero made the world tremble. To incur his displeasure was to lose property, liberty, life; and his frown was more to be dreaded than a pestilence.
Without money, without friends, without counsel, the aged prisoner stood before Nero—the countenance of the emperor bearing the shameful record of the passions that raged within; the face of the accused telling of a heart at peace with God.
How could Nero, a capricious, passionate, licentious tyrant, be expected to understand or appreciate the character and motives of this son of God? … The results of opposite systems of education stood that day contrasted—a life of unbounded self-indulgence and a life of entire self-sacrifice. Here were the representatives of two theories of life—all-absorbing selfishness, which counts nothing too valuable to be sacrificed for momentary gratification, and self-denying endurance, ready to give up life itself, if need be, for the good of others….
The people and the judges looked at him in surprise. They had been present at many trials, and had looked upon many a criminal; but never had they seen a man wear a look of such holy calmness…. His words struck a chord that vibrated in the hearts even of the most hardened. Truth, clear and convincing, overthrew error…. The words spoken on this occasion were destined to shake nations….
Faithful among the faithless, loyal among the disloyal, he stands as God’s representative, and his voice is as a voice from heaven…. His words are as a shout of victory above the roar of battle.
Conflict and Courage p. 355
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Prayer Requests
—–I had a concussion 10 days ago, my head, neck and back still hurts. Please pray for healing. Jacob
—–Please pray for healing for a lady who had surgery on her feet and is scheduled to go back to work soon. She is a pharmacist and is on her feet a lot. Diane
—–Please pray for my granddaughter who is in the hospital and her family. Kathy
—–Please pray for guidance for my son-in-law. L
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Dear Friends,
I was going through some old emails that I had received some years ago and thought I would share this one on the conditions for answered prayer written by a lady I have lost touch with years ago so I cannot ask her permission, but I’m sure she would say yes.
She wrote:
1. WE MUST ABIDE IN CHRIST
“IF ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
What does it mean to “Abide in Christ”?
“IF ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” John 15:10
“But IF we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” I John 1:7
“IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9
2. CANNOT BE HANGING ONTO SIN
“IF I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will NOT hear me” Psalm 66:18
“He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his PRAYER SHALL BE ABOMINATION.” Proverbs 28:9
“Behold, the lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear, But your INIQUITIES HAVE SEPARATED between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that HE WILL NOT HEAR.” Isaiah 59:1,2
3. REQUEST MUST BE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” I John 5:14,15
4. MUST BE EFFECTUAL & FERVENT
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The EFFECTUAL FERVENT prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16
5. MUST ASK
“…Ye have not, because ye ask not”
James 4:2
6. MUST BE OF THE RIGHT MOTIVATION
….Results must be dedicated to bringing honor and glory to God.
“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ASK AMISS, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3
7. SOMETIMES FASTING IS NECESSARY
“And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and FASTING.” Mark 9:29
8. MUST HAVE FAITH
“Jesus said unto him, IF thou canst BELIEVE, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23
<"Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24>
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, BELIEVE that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, BELIEVING, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:22
“But let him ask in FAITH, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” James 1:6,7
“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have FAITH in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and SHALL NOT DOUBT IN HIS HEART, but shall BELIEVE that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith.” Mark 11:22-24
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US . Ephesians 3:20
9. CLAIM THE PROMISES
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” II Peter 1:4
10. FORGIVENESS
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors….But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:12,15
“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” Matthew 18:35
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, FORGIVE, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Mark 11:24-26
11. ASK IN JESUS’ NAME
“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father IN MY NAME, he will give it you.” John 16:23
12. DON’T STOP PRAYING
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all PERSEVERANCE and supplication for all saints” Ephesians 6:18
“Pray without ceasing” I Thessalonians 5:17
13. THANKSGIVING
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with THANKSGIVING” Colossians 4:2
“Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6
“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18
14. HUMBLE SELVES * TURN FROM EVIL WAYS
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14
15. HONOR GOD
“…For them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” I Samuel 2:30
16. COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF GRACE, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15,16
“Having therefore, brethren, BOLDNESS to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” Hebrews 10:19
17. DON’T BE PRESUMPTUOUS
“But the soul that doeth ought PRESUMPTUOUSLY, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord” Numbers 15:30
18. GET RID OF STRONG HOLDS
” Casting down IMAGINATIONS, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ” II Corinthians 10:4,5
HOW DO WE DO THAT?
“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes” Psalm 101:3
“The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
*What we LOOK at, LISTEN to, THINK about, TALK about MUST meet the following criteria:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are TRUE,
whatsoever things are HONEST,
whatsoever things are JUST,
whatsoever things are PURE,
whatsoever things are LOVELY,
whatsoever things are of GOOD REPORT,
if there be any VIRTUE
and if there be any PRAISE,
think on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
I hope that this will be a blessing to all who read.
Rose