Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
Prayer is the breath of the soul, the channel of all blessings. As . . . the repentant soul offers its prayer, God sees its struggles, watches its conflicts, and marks its sincerity. He has His finger upon its pulse, and He takes note of every throb. Not a feeling thrills it, not an emotion agitates it, not a sorrow shades it, not a sin stains it, not a thought or purpose moves it, of which He is not cognizant. That soul was purchased at an infinite cost, and is loved with a devotion that is unalterable.
Prayer to the Great Physician for the healing of the soul brings the blessing of God. Prayer unites us one to another and to God. Prayer brings Jesus to our side, and gives new strength and fresh grace to the fainting, perplexed soul. . . .
Christ our Saviour was tempted in all points like as we are, yet He was without sin. He took human nature, being made in fashion as a man, and his necessities were the necessities of a man. He had bodily wants to be supplied, bodily weariness to be relieved. It was by prayer to His Father that He was braced for duty and for trial. Day by day He followed His round of duty, seeking to save souls. . . . And He spent whole nights in prayer in behalf of the tempted ones. . . .
The night seasons of prayer which the Saviour spent in the mountain or in the desert were essential to prepare Him for the trials He must meet in the days to follow. He felt the need of the refreshing and invigorating of soul and body, that He might meet the temptations of Satan; and those who are striving to live His life will feel this same need. . . .
He says to us, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Christ alone can make us capable of responding when He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” This means that every day self must be denied. Christ can give us the noble resolve, the will to suffer, and to fight the battles of the Lord with persevering energy. The weakest, aided by divine grace, may have strength to be more than conqueror.
Maranatha p. 85
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Prayer Requests
—-Please continue to pray for D and M and the trials they are going through. Pray that God will supply their needs and make a plain path for their feet. L
—– Please pray for the following evangelism events that are taking place in the near future: Diane
- Hutchinson, MN (Sep 25 – Oct 12)
- Duluth, MN (Sep 26 – Oct 18)
- Kenyan Community, MN (Sep 26 – Oct 18)
- New Britain, CT (Sep 27 – Oct 11)
- Andover, MN (Oct 2 – 26)
- Loma Linda, VA (Oct 3 – 4) Leadership Training Prayer Retreat with Kevin Wilfley
- Grays Harbor, WA (Oct. 3- Nov 1) Jac Colon Speaker
- Fresno, CA (Oct 4 – 11) Leon
- Prineville, OR (Oct 7 – Jan 13) Celebrating Life in Recovery 12 step program based on Steps to Christ for our church family Oct. 7 – Jan. 13 to spiritually and emotionally prepare our church members to offer this to the public in the future. Please pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to work in each member’s heart both now and during this program. Thank you!
- Miami, OK (Oct 10 – 24) Bible Prophecy Seminar
- Geneva (Oct 10 – 25) It Is Written
- Waterbury, CT (Oct 10 – 25)
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Dear Friends,
Autumn is upon us. We have been experiencing cooler weather and soon the trees will turn colors and drop their leaves. Just as we can tell from nature when the seasons change, so as we see the rapid fulfilling of the great prophecies of Daniel chapters 7-12 and Revelation chapters 13-18, we can know that the King of the Universe is soon to take us to His Heavenly Home as He has promised. (John 14:1-3) Just as the earth’s shutting down for the colder weather that’s coming and then its awakening from winter’s chill tells us that spring is soon upon us, so the signs foretold in God’s Holy Word bid us to “look up, and lift up [our] heads; for [our] redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28
Our Dear Saviour, Who sees the future gives us signs whereby we may know the end of all things is near. He warns us, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. . . . Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. . . . For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. . . . Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Matt 24:1-33
May we be ” sober, and watch unto prayer”as we see prophecy rapidly fulfilling. 1 Peter 4:7; May we “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure: for if [we] do these things, [we] shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto [us] abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10,11 May we soon exclaim with enraptured voice and love-filled heart, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa 25:9
Rose