Fervent, Effectual Prayer

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 5:16.

The sincere, humble prayer of the true worshiper ascends to heaven, and Jesus mingles with our lowly petitions the holy incense of His own merit. Through His righteousness we are accepted. Christ makes our prayers wholly efficacious through the savor of His righteousness. In these days of peril we need men who will wrestle with God as did Jacob and who, like Jacob, will prevail. Thank God that the world’s Redeemer promised that if He went away He would send the Holy Spirit as His representative. Let us pray and grasp the rich promises of God, and then praise God that in proportion to our earnest, humble supplications the Holy Spirit will be appointed to meet our needs. If we seek God with all our heart we shall find Him, and obtain the fulfillment of the promise.

Let those who love the Lord and His truth unite by two’s and three’s to seek places of retirement and pray for God’s blessing upon the minister, who can hardly find time to pray because he is constantly engaged attending to so many requests, sitting in councils, answering inquiries, giving advice, writing important letters. Let the fervent, effectual prayer of the righteous ascend to God that the word spoken may be a message of truth to reach the hearts of the hearers, and that souls may thereby be won to Christ.

In order to be a Christian it is not necessary for a man to have great talents. An earnest prayer offered from a contrite heart by one who desires to do the Master’s will is of more value in God’s sight than is eloquence of speech. The human agent may have no voice in legislative councils, he may not be permitted to deliberate in senates or vote in parliaments, yet he has access to God. The King of kings bends low to listen to the prayer coming from a humble, contrite heart. God hears every prayer that is offered with the incense of faith. The weakest child of God may exert an influence in harmony with the councils of heaven.

That I May Know Him p. 270

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Prayer Requests

—– Please keep Emefa in prayer. Her first OB/GYN Appnt is tomorrow for th baby. Again please pray for a healthy safe pregnancy and baby. Thank you. Roz

—–I am in need of prayer. Kay

—- Update: It is normal to require 2 wks to recover from a minor concussion. Kirsten received two within a week. We will be trying our best to heal the body with good nutrients and rest. We will also be doing very minimal schooling and increase it as Kirsten’s mind …pain wise…can handle it. Please continue to pray for her. Thank you very much! Nicole

—–the director of the SDA Publishing House from Romania has had an accident last night and his wife is in a critical condition. Stefan

—– Stan’s wife, Joan, Collapsed early this AM and he had to call the Ambulance to take her to the hospital. She has had many bad spells, severe pain and difficulty walking the past 2 weeks. She has severe headaches, muscle and joint pain, and more. Please pray that the medical staff will have wisdom and know what to do for her….thankfully this did not happen when Stan was here when Mom was dying. I am thankful he is with her. Her son has been missing for many months with no contact and it has been very distressing for her. Pray for the healing hand of God to be over them all. Thanks, Carol

—–Please pray that my pulled calf muscle will heal quickly. I need to be completely well by a week from Thursday. Rose 

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Dear Friends

Now that I’m retired, I enjoy sitting on the deck in the morning when I let out the dogs. I’ve noticed that there is a rabbit that has taken up residence in our yard. That is a very dangerous thing to do as the dogs would love to have rabbit for breakfast. As soon as they go down the steps the chase is on.

It reminds me of when our dog Sandy was alive and there was a rabbit living in our yard. Ronnie Jay and I often stood at our kitchen window and watched her nibbling grass or just hopping around the yard. At first, she lived under our shed, but soon felt safe enough make a nest right up next to our trailer where the electric meter and phone connection is. Sandy, who was a very old dog by that time, was no threat to her. In fact, Sandy didn’t appear to even know the rabbit was there, or if she did, she knew she was too old to catch the rabbit, so why bother?

The rabbit got so used to Sandy that she thought of her as a normal part of life. In fact, we often saw them out in the yard within 10 feet of each other. Perhaps the rabbit thought of Sandy as a friend or a protector, because after Sandy died, it was not long before we no longer saw the rabbit.

How often we are like that rabbit. We get so used to dwelling with something dangerous, that we soon lose our fear of it and even welcome it as something good. Every day we are exposed to sin. Yet, it all becomes so commonplace, so normal, that we get used to it: sin becomes part of normal life. We begin to feel that it holds no more danger to us than did Sandy to that rabbit. The music in the stores, at our workplace, even sometimes in our home is of the type to lead us away from Jesus. Without realizing it, we begin to hum along. If we turn on the TV, the programming promotes evil thoughts. Soon, we find ourselves doing or saying what we have watched. Even if we are watching a good, uplifting program, the advertisements are full of evil. Even the magazines displayed in the checkout line at the grocery store, promote sin. Often, the topics of conversation of those around us are not of the quality to lead our thoughts above.

In His mercy, God has given us a guideline to follow that will help us deal with the sin that is constantly around us. “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.” Phil 4:8 David also gives us another key to living in this sinful world. He says, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.” Ps 119:11 He explains further, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward….Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Ps 19:7-14

Only by filling our mind with God’s Word can we become uncomfortable with the sin to which we are continually exposed. Only by allowing the Holy Spirit to make His fruit a part of our life can we live above the darkness of this world. Paul tells us, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Gal 5:19-25

May we claim the Bible’s “exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [we] might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to [our] faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in [us], and abound, [we] shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Amen! 2 Peter 1:2-11

Rose

 

Fervent, Effectual Prayer — September 17, 2013
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