1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
2 Chronicles 7:14-15
If my people, who are called by my name, will 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. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
Psalm 4:1
Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 5:3
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct my prayer to You, and I will look up.
Psalm 17:1
Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer--it does not rise from deceitful lips.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
Psalm 50:15
Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
Psalm 55:17
Evening and morning, and at noon, I will pray and cry aloud; and He shall hear my voice.
Psalm 65:1-2
Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.
Psalms 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Proverbs 15:8
The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the rrighteous.
Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Matt 5:43-44
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
Monday, December 28, 2009
God's School of Prayer, No. 8, Part Three: Are You Called to Be a Prayer Warrior?
While all Christians are called to be intercessors, some are called to a deeper ministry of intercession – they are called to be prayer warriors. Some of you reading this now are prayer warriors. Some of you are called to be prayer warriors but have not reached the deepness yet. But it is coming. Prayer warriors are people who are known for regularly interceding on behalf of others before God.
Prayer warriors are like defense attorneys, appealing to the Higher Court on behalf of their defendants. We're all guilty before God, but God is merciful. Prayer warriors recognize that quality of God's personality and call on Him for intervention.
Paul was perhaps the greatest example of a prayer warrior in the New Testament. He repeatedly prayed for others, especially the individual churches with whom he was working.
In Ephesians 3:14-21, while Paul was in prison, he prays for the believers in the church at Ephesus:
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Are your prayers filled with requests for others? You have been given this ministry of intercession and through prayer you can be used by God to touch lives of people - those you have never met and those who are very close to you. Are you a prayer warrior? If you are, submit yourself to God and He will lift you up to do mighty deeds for him in the realm of the supernatural. Open your hearts, open your minds, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, to empower you, to fill you, to use you, so help you God!
To intercede means to come between, so prayer warriors are, in effect, coming between God and the trouble in another person's life. The Prayer Warrior goes into battle but his or her weapon is not a gun, it is prayer.
Prayer warriors are like defense attorneys, appealing to the Higher Court on behalf of their defendants. We're all guilty before God, but God is merciful. Prayer warriors recognize that quality of God's personality and call on Him for intervention.
Paul was perhaps the greatest example of a prayer warrior in the New Testament. He repeatedly prayed for others, especially the individual churches with whom he was working.
In Ephesians 3:14-21, while Paul was in prison, he prays for the believers in the church at Ephesus:
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Are your prayers filled with requests for others? You have been given this ministry of intercession and through prayer you can be used by God to touch lives of people - those you have never met and those who are very close to you. Are you a prayer warrior? If you are, submit yourself to God and He will lift you up to do mighty deeds for him in the realm of the supernatural. Open your hearts, open your minds, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, to empower you, to fill you, to use you, so help you God!
To intercede means to come between, so prayer warriors are, in effect, coming between God and the trouble in another person's life. The Prayer Warrior goes into battle but his or her weapon is not a gun, it is prayer.
God's School of Prayer, No. 8, Part Two: Interceding in Prayer on Behalf of Others
One of the things that Christians msut do is pray for each other and pray for others who are not Christians. We are to be intercessors, standing in the gap in prayer for others.
Quite simply, intercessory prayer is the act of praying on behalf of others. The role of mediator in prayer was prevalent in the Old Testament, in the cases of Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, Hezekiah, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Christ is pictured in the New Testament as the ultimate intercessor, and because of this, all Christian prayer becomes intercession since it is offered to God through and by Christ. Jesus closed the gap between us and God when He died on the cross.
Because of Jesus’ mediation, we can now intercede in prayer on behalf of other Christians or for the lost, asking God to grant their requests according to His will. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).
All Christians have the Holy Spirit in their hearts and, just as He intercedes for us in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27), we are to intercede for one another. This is not a privilege limited to an exclusive Christian elite; this is the command to all. In fact, not to intercede for others is sin. “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23).
Certainly Peter and Paul asked others to pray for them. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5). Notice it was the whole church that prayed for him. In Ephesians 6:16-18, Paul exhorts the Ephesian believers—all of them—on the fundamentals of the Christian life, which includes intercession “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Clearly, intercessory prayer is part of the Christian life for all believers.
Further, Paul sought prayer on his behalf from all the Roman believers in Romans 15:30. He also urged the Colossians to intercede for him in Colossians 4:2-3. Those who seek others to intercede for them can use all the help they can get!
God calls all Christians to be intercessors. It is God’s desire that every believer be active in intercessory prayer. What a wonderful and exalted privilege we have in being able to come boldly before the throne of Almighty God with our prayers and requests!
Quite simply, intercessory prayer is the act of praying on behalf of others. The role of mediator in prayer was prevalent in the Old Testament, in the cases of Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, Hezekiah, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Christ is pictured in the New Testament as the ultimate intercessor, and because of this, all Christian prayer becomes intercession since it is offered to God through and by Christ. Jesus closed the gap between us and God when He died on the cross.
Because of Jesus’ mediation, we can now intercede in prayer on behalf of other Christians or for the lost, asking God to grant their requests according to His will. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).
All Christians have the Holy Spirit in their hearts and, just as He intercedes for us in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27), we are to intercede for one another. This is not a privilege limited to an exclusive Christian elite; this is the command to all. In fact, not to intercede for others is sin. “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23).
Certainly Peter and Paul asked others to pray for them. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5). Notice it was the whole church that prayed for him. In Ephesians 6:16-18, Paul exhorts the Ephesian believers—all of them—on the fundamentals of the Christian life, which includes intercession “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Clearly, intercessory prayer is part of the Christian life for all believers.
Further, Paul sought prayer on his behalf from all the Roman believers in Romans 15:30. He also urged the Colossians to intercede for him in Colossians 4:2-3. Those who seek others to intercede for them can use all the help they can get!
God calls all Christians to be intercessors. It is God’s desire that every believer be active in intercessory prayer. What a wonderful and exalted privilege we have in being able to come boldly before the throne of Almighty God with our prayers and requests!
God's School of Prayer No. 8 -- Intercession: We are Called to Be Angels on Earth, to Be Messengers of God, Carrying His Good News, Praying for Others
The word “angel” actually comes from the Greek word aggelos, which means “messenger.” The matching Hebrew word mal'ak has the same meaning.
Sometimes, the Bible uses these words for human beings:
ordinary people who carry messages (Job 1:14; Luke 7:24; 9:52)
prophets (Isaiah 42:19; Malachi 3:1)
priests (Malachi 2:7)
church leaders (Rev 1:20)
We usually think of the whole range of helping spirits whom God has created to carry out His will, including both good and fallen, evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel.
Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament Hence, there is ample information available in Scripture to allow us to build a foundation for our knowledge of angelic beings.
What does the Bible reveal about angels? Well, we see heavenly beings used as messengers, as we see in Luke 2, bringing good news to the shepherds and praising God:
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:8-16
While the Scriptures give no definite figures, we are told that the number of angels is very great (Daniel 7:10; Matthew 26:53; Hebrews 12:22). It appears that all angels were created at one time. No new angels are being added to the number. Angels are not subject to death or any form of extinction; therefore they do not decrease in number. It seems reasonable to conclude that there are at least as many spirit beings in existence as there will have been human beings in all their history on earth.
DO ANGELS HAVE BODIES?
Angels are essentially “ministering spirits,” (Hebrews 1:14) and do not have physical bodies like humans. Jesus declared that “a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:37-39).
The Bible does, however, make it clear that angels can only be in one place at a time. They must have some localized presence.
Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is somet We don't know whether every angel carries out the same tasks, or whether some of them specialize in certain areas. The Bible does speak about classes of angelic beings like cherubim (Ezekiel 1) and seraphim (Isaiah 6). We also know the names of two notable angels: Michael (Daniel 10:13; Jude 9) and Gabriel (Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19,26).
The unnamed angels who appear most often in Scripture carry out a variety of tasks—all designed to serve God…
Worship and praise - This is the main activity portrayed in heaven (Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4-5).
Revealing, Giving Messages - They serve as messengers to communicate God's will to men. They helped reveal the law to Moses (Acts 7:52-53), and served as the carriers of much of the material in Daniel, and Revelation.
Guiding - Angels gave instructions to Joseph about the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1-2), to the women at the tomb, to Philip (Acts 8:26), and to Cornelius (Acts 10:1-8).
Providing - God has used angels to provide physical needs such as food for Hagar (Genesis 21:17-20), Elijah (1 Kings 19:6), and Christ after His temptation (Matthew 4:11).
Protecting - Keeping God's people out of physical danger, as in the cases of Daniel and the lions, and his three friends in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3 and 6).
Delivering - Getting God's people out of danger once they're in it. Angels released the apostles from prison in Acts 5, and repeated the process for Peter in Acts 12.
Strengthening and Encouraging - Angels strengthened Jesus after His temptation (Matt 4:11), encouraged the apostles to keep preaching after releasing them from prison (Acts 5:19-20), and told Paul that everyone on his ship would survive the impending shipwreck (Acts 27:23-25).
Used by God in Answering prayer - God often uses angels as His means of answering the prayers of His people (Daniel 9:20-24; 10:10-12; Acts 12:1-17).
Caring for believers at the moment of death - In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, we read that angels carried the spirit of Lazarus to “Abraham's bosom” when he died (Luke 16:22).
What is also true is now that Christians have been called to obey God through the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Christians are now called to do some of the tasks of angels here on earth. In essence, we are
Jesus said in the parable of the goats and lambs: "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40
We are called to help each other, to be a blessing to each other, to pray for each other. We are called to act as God's hands on earth to help:
1. To Meet the Spiritual, Physical, and Mental Needs of Others as Our Lord Makes it Possible.
2. To NEVER BE LIMITED by Race, Color, Religious Preference, or Organization, Where There Are Needs To Be Met.
3. To ALWAYS Put Our Confidence in God to Meet the Needs, and to Give Us Wisdom and Direction According to His Will.
4. That Whatever is Accomplished, Whether in Word or Deed, is Accomplished in Such a Way as to Demonstrate and Share the Love of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to Bring Praise, Honor, and Glory to Only Him.
Sometimes, the Bible uses these words for human beings:
ordinary people who carry messages (Job 1:14; Luke 7:24; 9:52)
prophets (Isaiah 42:19; Malachi 3:1)
priests (Malachi 2:7)
church leaders (Rev 1:20)
We usually think of the whole range of helping spirits whom God has created to carry out His will, including both good and fallen, evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel.
Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament Hence, there is ample information available in Scripture to allow us to build a foundation for our knowledge of angelic beings.
What does the Bible reveal about angels? Well, we see heavenly beings used as messengers, as we see in Luke 2, bringing good news to the shepherds and praising God:
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:8-16
While the Scriptures give no definite figures, we are told that the number of angels is very great (Daniel 7:10; Matthew 26:53; Hebrews 12:22). It appears that all angels were created at one time. No new angels are being added to the number. Angels are not subject to death or any form of extinction; therefore they do not decrease in number. It seems reasonable to conclude that there are at least as many spirit beings in existence as there will have been human beings in all their history on earth.
DO ANGELS HAVE BODIES?
Angels are essentially “ministering spirits,” (Hebrews 1:14) and do not have physical bodies like humans. Jesus declared that “a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:37-39).
The Bible does, however, make it clear that angels can only be in one place at a time. They must have some localized presence.
Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is somet We don't know whether every angel carries out the same tasks, or whether some of them specialize in certain areas. The Bible does speak about classes of angelic beings like cherubim (Ezekiel 1) and seraphim (Isaiah 6). We also know the names of two notable angels: Michael (Daniel 10:13; Jude 9) and Gabriel (Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19,26).
The unnamed angels who appear most often in Scripture carry out a variety of tasks—all designed to serve God…
Worship and praise - This is the main activity portrayed in heaven (Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4-5).
Revealing, Giving Messages - They serve as messengers to communicate God's will to men. They helped reveal the law to Moses (Acts 7:52-53), and served as the carriers of much of the material in Daniel, and Revelation.
Guiding - Angels gave instructions to Joseph about the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1-2), to the women at the tomb, to Philip (Acts 8:26), and to Cornelius (Acts 10:1-8).
Providing - God has used angels to provide physical needs such as food for Hagar (Genesis 21:17-20), Elijah (1 Kings 19:6), and Christ after His temptation (Matthew 4:11).
Protecting - Keeping God's people out of physical danger, as in the cases of Daniel and the lions, and his three friends in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3 and 6).
Delivering - Getting God's people out of danger once they're in it. Angels released the apostles from prison in Acts 5, and repeated the process for Peter in Acts 12.
Strengthening and Encouraging - Angels strengthened Jesus after His temptation (Matt 4:11), encouraged the apostles to keep preaching after releasing them from prison (Acts 5:19-20), and told Paul that everyone on his ship would survive the impending shipwreck (Acts 27:23-25).
Used by God in Answering prayer - God often uses angels as His means of answering the prayers of His people (Daniel 9:20-24; 10:10-12; Acts 12:1-17).
Caring for believers at the moment of death - In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, we read that angels carried the spirit of Lazarus to “Abraham's bosom” when he died (Luke 16:22).
What is also true is now that Christians have been called to obey God through the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Christians are now called to do some of the tasks of angels here on earth. In essence, we are
Jesus said in the parable of the goats and lambs: "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40
We are called to help each other, to be a blessing to each other, to pray for each other. We are called to act as God's hands on earth to help:
1. To Meet the Spiritual, Physical, and Mental Needs of Others as Our Lord Makes it Possible.
2. To NEVER BE LIMITED by Race, Color, Religious Preference, or Organization, Where There Are Needs To Be Met.
3. To ALWAYS Put Our Confidence in God to Meet the Needs, and to Give Us Wisdom and Direction According to His Will.
4. That Whatever is Accomplished, Whether in Word or Deed, is Accomplished in Such a Way as to Demonstrate and Share the Love of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to Bring Praise, Honor, and Glory to Only Him.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
God's School of Prayer, Number Eight, Pasrt One -- Being a Prayer Warrior -- Interceding in Prayer for Others
Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. - Ephesians 6:18
What is intercessory prayer?
Intercessory prayer is simply prayer for other people. "If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot." (James 5:16) In this sense everyone is called to be an intercessor as we pray for one another.
There is a further level of intercessory prayer in which God lays a particular burden on certain people to pray. This burden might be for a person, a church, a community, or a particular event. Paul speaks of continuing the suffering of Christ. After telling the Colossians that he has not stopped praying for them (Colossians 1:9) he continues to urge them to be deeply rooted and firm (verse 23) in the faith. Paul has an intercessory burden on behalf of the Colossian church. Intercessors should read all of Colossians 1.
I am glad that I can suffer for you. I am pleased also that in my own body I can continue the suffering of Christ for his body, the church. - Colossians 1:24
What is an intercessor?
If everyone is called to some form of intercessory prayer, why do we call some people "intercessors?"
An intercessor is someone who is especially called and equipped by God through the Holy Spirit to spend time in earnest prayer for others. You become an intercessor simply by receiving such burdens from God to pray for others. You learn from the Holy Spirit how to pray for certain people or groups. "Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don't know and can't find out." (Jeremiah 33:3) Intercessors are also called PRAYER WARRIORS!
Why are intercessors needed?
At many times in history God has searched for certain righteous people during times of judgment. In the time of Noah, only one family was found (Genesis 7:1). In Sodom, only Lot and his family were found. In Jerusalem God searched for anyone who was "truly upset and sad about the disgusting things" being done (Ezekiel 9:4).
And I sought for anyone among them who would repair the wall and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. - Ezekiel 22:30 (NRSV)
How is intercession guided?
Intercessors must be listeners. Intercessory prayer is prayer guided by the Holy Spirit. We are not on our own in prayer.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. - Romans 8:26 (NRSV)
What is intercessory prayer?
Intercessory prayer is simply prayer for other people. "If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot." (James 5:16) In this sense everyone is called to be an intercessor as we pray for one another.
There is a further level of intercessory prayer in which God lays a particular burden on certain people to pray. This burden might be for a person, a church, a community, or a particular event. Paul speaks of continuing the suffering of Christ. After telling the Colossians that he has not stopped praying for them (Colossians 1:9) he continues to urge them to be deeply rooted and firm (verse 23) in the faith. Paul has an intercessory burden on behalf of the Colossian church. Intercessors should read all of Colossians 1.
I am glad that I can suffer for you. I am pleased also that in my own body I can continue the suffering of Christ for his body, the church. - Colossians 1:24
What is an intercessor?
If everyone is called to some form of intercessory prayer, why do we call some people "intercessors?"
An intercessor is someone who is especially called and equipped by God through the Holy Spirit to spend time in earnest prayer for others. You become an intercessor simply by receiving such burdens from God to pray for others. You learn from the Holy Spirit how to pray for certain people or groups. "Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don't know and can't find out." (Jeremiah 33:3) Intercessors are also called PRAYER WARRIORS!
Why are intercessors needed?
At many times in history God has searched for certain righteous people during times of judgment. In the time of Noah, only one family was found (Genesis 7:1). In Sodom, only Lot and his family were found. In Jerusalem God searched for anyone who was "truly upset and sad about the disgusting things" being done (Ezekiel 9:4).
And I sought for anyone among them who would repair the wall and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. - Ezekiel 22:30 (NRSV)
How is intercession guided?
Intercessors must be listeners. Intercessory prayer is prayer guided by the Holy Spirit. We are not on our own in prayer.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. - Romans 8:26 (NRSV)
Sunday, December 13, 2009
God's School of Prayer, Number Seven, Part Three: Agreement is a Spiritual Prayer Warrior Secret
We are called to be prayer warriors. And a secret of prayer warfare is that agreement is a powerful tool of our prayer work. You can experience a place of agreement with God’s Word, and harmony that will produce power, as you forgive and agree with another believer.
You can affect governments, families and the lives of others. You can change your financial situation, affect your church and your pastor with the power of prayer. Find someone who can agree with you according to the Word of God.
The same principle works the other way. If you are in disagreement, the door is open for Satan to come in. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16).
In Matthew 18:21, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus replied, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus replied, “I tell you, not seven times, but Until seventy times seven” (verse 22). Forgive because God said to, and not because you feel like it.
Build your home, your church and every other area of your life on the unselfish love of God. Selfishness has never built anything it did not destroy. But love never fails. The love of God is the very center of the family of God because God is love. You are His very own child, born again with His love nature inside you.
Don’t let that love lie dormant. Cast down selfishness and let loose the love of God in you. You cannot fail when love is in dominion.
When you forgive and reach for harmony, you come to a place where you have the spiritual awareness to perceive the closeness of God. Jesus said if you get into harmony and agree together, He would be in the midst of you. God wants to be involved with you.
When you are in harmony and agreement with those around you, you will step into a deeper, more personal fellowship with God. He becomes real and vital to you. Fellowship with your heavenly Father is one of the greatest things you will ever have in your Christian walk! It causes a confidence and an assurance deep down in your heart.
You know your prayers will be answered because you have conformed yourself to His will. As you forgive, the joy that comes through answered prayer will become your own personal experience. Jesus said, “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).
You can affect governments, families and the lives of others. You can change your financial situation, affect your church and your pastor with the power of prayer. Find someone who can agree with you according to the Word of God.
The same principle works the other way. If you are in disagreement, the door is open for Satan to come in. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16).
In Matthew 18:21, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus replied, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus replied, “I tell you, not seven times, but Until seventy times seven” (verse 22). Forgive because God said to, and not because you feel like it.
Build your home, your church and every other area of your life on the unselfish love of God. Selfishness has never built anything it did not destroy. But love never fails. The love of God is the very center of the family of God because God is love. You are His very own child, born again with His love nature inside you.
Don’t let that love lie dormant. Cast down selfishness and let loose the love of God in you. You cannot fail when love is in dominion.
When you forgive and reach for harmony, you come to a place where you have the spiritual awareness to perceive the closeness of God. Jesus said if you get into harmony and agree together, He would be in the midst of you. God wants to be involved with you.
When you are in harmony and agreement with those around you, you will step into a deeper, more personal fellowship with God. He becomes real and vital to you. Fellowship with your heavenly Father is one of the greatest things you will ever have in your Christian walk! It causes a confidence and an assurance deep down in your heart.
You know your prayers will be answered because you have conformed yourself to His will. As you forgive, the joy that comes through answered prayer will become your own personal experience. Jesus said, “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).
God's School of Prayer, Number Seven, Part Two: Agreement in Prayer is a Powerful Tool from God
Coming into harmony with another or others when you pray is a Biblical way of prayer effectiveness. Remember the disciples praying in one accord in the Upper Room in Acts 2, and then the Holy Spirit came with a sound like a rushing mighty wind!
Every congregation and all believers everywhere need united agreement in prayer and faith. True, we can play privately, but we must also come together with others, two or more, or the whole local church expecting to find one accord in prayer. The church in Acts began in one accord in prayer (Acts 1:14; 2:1).
United prayer was a top priority of the apostles and the people (Acts 6:4; 4:18-33; 12:1-25; 15:1-30). United agreement in prayer is necessary because of who we are as followers of Christ, united in Him. And we must live with forgiveness and love! Forgiveness, being on the same page spiritually, is important in the prayer of agreement.
Jesus prayed in the Lord's Prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:9-12). He put a condition on forgiveness. The condition is “I don’t expect to be forgiven until I forgive.” He displayed the kind of discipline the believer should exercise when he is praying.
How important is this? In Galatians 5:6, the Bible says faith works by love. If you are operating with an unforgiving heart, your prayer life will be paralyzed.
The Word says we know we have the petitions we have desired of Him, if we do the things that are pleasing in His sight (I John 3:22). Put these scriptures together and you quickly see unforgiveness would actually ruin the whole prayer system.
Every congregation and all believers everywhere need united agreement in prayer and faith. True, we can play privately, but we must also come together with others, two or more, or the whole local church expecting to find one accord in prayer. The church in Acts began in one accord in prayer (Acts 1:14; 2:1).
United prayer was a top priority of the apostles and the people (Acts 6:4; 4:18-33; 12:1-25; 15:1-30). United agreement in prayer is necessary because of who we are as followers of Christ, united in Him. And we must live with forgiveness and love! Forgiveness, being on the same page spiritually, is important in the prayer of agreement.
Jesus prayed in the Lord's Prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:9-12). He put a condition on forgiveness. The condition is “I don’t expect to be forgiven until I forgive.” He displayed the kind of discipline the believer should exercise when he is praying.
How important is this? In Galatians 5:6, the Bible says faith works by love. If you are operating with an unforgiving heart, your prayer life will be paralyzed.
The Word says we know we have the petitions we have desired of Him, if we do the things that are pleasing in His sight (I John 3:22). Put these scriptures together and you quickly see unforgiveness would actually ruin the whole prayer system.
God's School of Prayer Number Seven, Part One: The Wondrous Prayer of Agreement
The prayer of agreement when prayed according to Matthew 18:18-20 will cover every circumstance in life: “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Agreement with the Word and another believer are not the only things involved in this kind of prayer. Agreement is also harmony. Harmony is extremely important. When speaking of prayer in Mark 11:25-26, Jesus said, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught 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.” This is vital in your prayer life. Jesus said, forgive when you pray. FORGIVE!
Agreement makes prayer work. Your agreement will produce power, as you forgive and agree with another believer. You can affect governments, families and the lives of others.and yourself, You can affect your church and your pastor with the power of prayer. >Find someone who can agree with you according to the Word of God. A spouse, a relative, a friend can agree with you in prayer!
Jesus said that if any two on earth agree, He would be in the midst of that agreement to see that it comes to pass. You are on earth so you qualify. If you agree with another believer as touching anything that lines up with the Word of God, He is there in your midst to carry it out.
Jesus wants you to agree and will see to it that it comes to pass. The word agree is translated in The Amplified Bible as “agree and harmonize together or make a symphony together.” The word symphony caught my attention one time, so I looked it up and found that it means “all available instruments in harmony.” You must have your spirit, mind and actions in agreement with the Word.
Agreeing spiritually is to agree with the Word of God. Make up your mind God’s Word is true and that it will come to pass.
Secondly, be strong in your mind. That is Satan’s battleground. You must control your thoughts. Writing down your agreement will be beneficial for this reason. It will keep it before your eyes so when your mind tries to change directions, control it with your agreement on God’s Word. Do not tie God’s hands. Allow Him to work.
You have agreed, spirit and soul (mind). Then your actions must come in line. If finances are what you agreed on, expect the money to come in. This is part of being in agreement. You cannot agree in prayer about something, then act the opposite and expect it to come to pass. If you do, your actions will eventually take over your thinking.
Agreement with the Word and another believer are not the only things involved in this kind of prayer. Agreement is also harmony. Harmony is extremely important. When speaking of prayer in Mark 11:25-26, Jesus said, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught 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.” This is vital in your prayer life. Jesus said, forgive when you pray. FORGIVE!
Agreement makes prayer work. Your agreement will produce power, as you forgive and agree with another believer. You can affect governments, families and the lives of others.and yourself, You can affect your church and your pastor with the power of prayer. >Find someone who can agree with you according to the Word of God. A spouse, a relative, a friend can agree with you in prayer!
Jesus said that if any two on earth agree, He would be in the midst of that agreement to see that it comes to pass. You are on earth so you qualify. If you agree with another believer as touching anything that lines up with the Word of God, He is there in your midst to carry it out.
Jesus wants you to agree and will see to it that it comes to pass. The word agree is translated in The Amplified Bible as “agree and harmonize together or make a symphony together.” The word symphony caught my attention one time, so I looked it up and found that it means “all available instruments in harmony.” You must have your spirit, mind and actions in agreement with the Word.
Agreeing spiritually is to agree with the Word of God. Make up your mind God’s Word is true and that it will come to pass.
Secondly, be strong in your mind. That is Satan’s battleground. You must control your thoughts. Writing down your agreement will be beneficial for this reason. It will keep it before your eyes so when your mind tries to change directions, control it with your agreement on God’s Word. Do not tie God’s hands. Allow Him to work.
You have agreed, spirit and soul (mind). Then your actions must come in line. If finances are what you agreed on, expect the money to come in. This is part of being in agreement. You cannot agree in prayer about something, then act the opposite and expect it to come to pass. If you do, your actions will eventually take over your thinking.
God's School of Prayer, Number Six, Part Two: Praise Him! Praise Him! Mary Praises the Great Attributes of God!
In Mary's great song of praise, Luke 1:46-55, she praises the great attributes of God:
God Is Mighty
The first attribute Mary speaks of is the might and power of God. He is the mighty God, ho dunatos, and in Luke 1:49 she sings, "For the Mighty One has done great things for me." Mary’s God was God Almighty, the Creator of the ends of the earth. There is no one mightier than her God. He alone is able, and with him alone nothing is impossible.
In the first part of verse 51 Mary says of this mighty God, "He has performed mighty deeds with his arm." From Genesis 1 on the Bible speaks of the great and marvelous acts performed by the mighty arm of God. All nations together are considered as nothing by this El-Shaddai, this God, the strong and mighty one. He alone is almighty, and Mary knew it.
Let me ask you: Are you weak? The answer, of course, is yes. But that is not the end. He is strong, and it is in him that we trust. What about the devil and his demons—are they strong? Yes. Martin Luther recognized that in his great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress," and all of us must recognize it. But our God is stronger than all the forces of this world. Remember what Luther said? "One little Word shall fell him." That Word is the name of Jesus.
Knowing who God is, Mary realized that she had nothing to fear. We too have nothing to fear as well. The gates of hell shall not prevail against us, because our God is mighty. Thus, we can say with Paul, "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
God Is Holy
The second attribute Mary speaks about is God’s holiness. In verse 49 Mary declared, "Holy is his name." Throughout the Scriptures God tells us, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. He is the One separate from us—the One without sin.
God Is a Judge
The third attribute of God that Mary speaks about in her hymn is that God is a judge. In the latter part of Luke 1:51 she says, "He [God] has scattered those who are proud in their innermost thoughts." Additionally, in verse 52 we find, "He has brought down the mighty rulers from their thrones," and in verse 53, "He has sent the rich empty away."
God Is Merciful
The fourth attribute Mary speaks of is that God is merciful. The word "mercy" appears five times in Luke 1—in verses 50, 54, 58, 72 and 78. Mary reveled in the knowledge of this great attribute of God.
What is grace? It is God’s love shown to guilty sinners. But what is mercy? Mercy is God’s love shown to the guilty sinners who are miserable in their sinful condition. In Exodus 3;7 we read what the Lord—the eternal God, the great I AM THAT I AM—spoke from the burning bush to Moses: "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering." God was merciful to the Israelites in Egypt and he delivered them. Our God is a merciful God.
God Is a Covenant God
The fifth attribute of God that Mary speaks of is that God is a covenant God. We must realize that God does not have to enter into a covenant with sinful man. There is nothing in his being necessitating that he stoop down and promise salvation to anybody. But the truth is, God did just that. He entered into a covenant with Abraham, promising to show mercy to him and his descendants by granting them salvation.
God Is Faithful to His Covenant
If God promises through a covenant, he will fulfill it, because he is the God of the covenant. The sixth attribute of God Mary speaks of in this passage is the faithfulness of God to his covenant.
Then, all of a sudden, in the fullness of time, God saw the sin and misery of his people and remembered to be merciful them. Our God cannot lie; what he promises he will do. In 2 Corinthians 1:20 Paul writes, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ." All of God’s promises to us are fulfilled in the indescribable gift of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
God Is the Savior
The final attribute of God that Mary describes here is that God was her Savior. "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices. . . ." In what is Mary rejoicing? ". . . in God my Savior."
Two thousand years after God made his promise to Abraham, the Savior had come. Mary knew that it was he alone who could take away sins and destroy the works of the devil. But how would he do these things? By his death on the cross.
This was God’s plan of salvation for us. Because God is holy, he must punish sinners. But God is also love, so he does not desire to punish us. But how can God not punish sinners and still be holy? He punished his own Son who freely gave himself to be punished for our sins on the cross.
God reached out with his strong arm in Jesus Christ and saved the people of God from their sins. He did not do that for angels who sinned, but only for the descendants of Abraham. In him we are forgiven of all our sins and justified forever. In him we find mercy. In him we are made children of God. In him the hungry are filled with his perfect righteousness. In him we are adopted into God’s own family. In him we enjoy fellowship with God.
That is why Mary was singing this song, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Mary praises the Lord, and so should we!
God Is Mighty
The first attribute Mary speaks of is the might and power of God. He is the mighty God, ho dunatos, and in Luke 1:49 she sings, "For the Mighty One has done great things for me." Mary’s God was God Almighty, the Creator of the ends of the earth. There is no one mightier than her God. He alone is able, and with him alone nothing is impossible.
In the first part of verse 51 Mary says of this mighty God, "He has performed mighty deeds with his arm." From Genesis 1 on the Bible speaks of the great and marvelous acts performed by the mighty arm of God. All nations together are considered as nothing by this El-Shaddai, this God, the strong and mighty one. He alone is almighty, and Mary knew it.
Let me ask you: Are you weak? The answer, of course, is yes. But that is not the end. He is strong, and it is in him that we trust. What about the devil and his demons—are they strong? Yes. Martin Luther recognized that in his great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress," and all of us must recognize it. But our God is stronger than all the forces of this world. Remember what Luther said? "One little Word shall fell him." That Word is the name of Jesus.
Knowing who God is, Mary realized that she had nothing to fear. We too have nothing to fear as well. The gates of hell shall not prevail against us, because our God is mighty. Thus, we can say with Paul, "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
God Is Holy
The second attribute Mary speaks about is God’s holiness. In verse 49 Mary declared, "Holy is his name." Throughout the Scriptures God tells us, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. He is the One separate from us—the One without sin.
God Is a Judge
The third attribute of God that Mary speaks about in her hymn is that God is a judge. In the latter part of Luke 1:51 she says, "He [God] has scattered those who are proud in their innermost thoughts." Additionally, in verse 52 we find, "He has brought down the mighty rulers from their thrones," and in verse 53, "He has sent the rich empty away."
God Is Merciful
The fourth attribute Mary speaks of is that God is merciful. The word "mercy" appears five times in Luke 1—in verses 50, 54, 58, 72 and 78. Mary reveled in the knowledge of this great attribute of God.
What is grace? It is God’s love shown to guilty sinners. But what is mercy? Mercy is God’s love shown to the guilty sinners who are miserable in their sinful condition. In Exodus 3;7 we read what the Lord—the eternal God, the great I AM THAT I AM—spoke from the burning bush to Moses: "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering." God was merciful to the Israelites in Egypt and he delivered them. Our God is a merciful God.
God Is a Covenant God
The fifth attribute of God that Mary speaks of is that God is a covenant God. We must realize that God does not have to enter into a covenant with sinful man. There is nothing in his being necessitating that he stoop down and promise salvation to anybody. But the truth is, God did just that. He entered into a covenant with Abraham, promising to show mercy to him and his descendants by granting them salvation.
God Is Faithful to His Covenant
If God promises through a covenant, he will fulfill it, because he is the God of the covenant. The sixth attribute of God Mary speaks of in this passage is the faithfulness of God to his covenant.
Then, all of a sudden, in the fullness of time, God saw the sin and misery of his people and remembered to be merciful them. Our God cannot lie; what he promises he will do. In 2 Corinthians 1:20 Paul writes, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ." All of God’s promises to us are fulfilled in the indescribable gift of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
God Is the Savior
The final attribute of God that Mary describes here is that God was her Savior. "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices. . . ." In what is Mary rejoicing? ". . . in God my Savior."
Two thousand years after God made his promise to Abraham, the Savior had come. Mary knew that it was he alone who could take away sins and destroy the works of the devil. But how would he do these things? By his death on the cross.
This was God’s plan of salvation for us. Because God is holy, he must punish sinners. But God is also love, so he does not desire to punish us. But how can God not punish sinners and still be holy? He punished his own Son who freely gave himself to be punished for our sins on the cross.
God reached out with his strong arm in Jesus Christ and saved the people of God from their sins. He did not do that for angels who sinned, but only for the descendants of Abraham. In him we are forgiven of all our sins and justified forever. In him we find mercy. In him we are made children of God. In him the hungry are filled with his perfect righteousness. In him we are adopted into God’s own family. In him we enjoy fellowship with God.
That is why Mary was singing this song, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Mary praises the Lord, and so should we!
God;s School of Prayer Number Six, Part One: Praising God -- A Key to Prayer and the Example of Mary, Mother of Jesus
And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants for ever, even as he said to our fathers."Luke 1:46-55
Here we see a key to a powerful prayer life -- Praise and Worship of God. We are to praise Him and Worship Him. Psalm 22:3 states that "He inhabits the praises of His people." Another version puts it this way -- "He is enthroned on the praises of His people." Does not that just make you wish to praise the Lord! If you are depressed --Praise the Lord! If you need help, Praise the Lord! If someone you know needs help, Praise the Lord!
Here we see Mary, the Theotokis, the God bearer in her womb, praising the Lord. In Luke 1:46-55 we find the portion of Scripture called "Mary’s Magnificat." This great worship hymn of Mary is called the Magnificat because it begins in the Latin Bible in verse 47 with the words "Magnificat animum mea Dominum," which means "My soul magnifies the Lord."
When you open the gospel of Luke, you notice it is filled with music, especially the first two chapters. There we find five "hymns": the hymn of Elizabeth (Luke 1:42-45); the hymn of Mary (Luke 1:46-55); the hymn of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79); the hymn of the angels, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests," (Luke 2:14); and the hymn of Simeon in Luke 2:29-32, which he prayed when he saw the infant Jesus Christ and realized that God’s promise that he wouldn’t die until he saw God’s salvation had just been fulfilled.
The Christmas season is a time of great singing and joy because of the divine announcement of good news of great joy to all the people of the world. As sinners, we need a divine Savior, and the message of Christmas is that God has given us such a competent Savior in his Son who became man, the Lord Jesus Christ.
This divine announcement first came to a poor Jewish teenager, a peasant girl who lived in the despised town of Nazareth in northern Israel. The divine Savior made his grand entrance into history by being born, not in the famous cities of Rome or Jerusalem, but in Bethlehem; not to a famous queen mother, but to a poor Jewish teenager betrothed to the town carpenter; not in a palace, but in a stable and placed in a manger.
The angel Gabriel told Mary that by the power of the Holy Spirit, she would conceive and give birth to a son who would be heir to the throne of David, the Holy One, the Son of God, the Son of the Most High, the King of Israel. Mary and Joseph were to call him Jesus, for he would save his people from their sins.
Mary was puzzled at this stupendous announcement the angel made to her. "How will this be," she asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" In other words, "How can a virgin conceive without the aid of a man?" Mary knew that the recent miracle of her elderly relative Elizabeth conceiving was not unique, because such a miracle had happened previously, when God enabled Sarah to conceive Isaac. But for a virgin to conceive and give birth to a son was unique, so Mary asked the angel, "How will this be?"
"The Holy Spirit will do it," Gabriel told Mary. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you," he said in Luke 1:35, "and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Then he added in verse 37, "For nothing is impossible with God." Nothing is impossible with God! We must keep this in mind always. How did the universe come to be? The answer is God. How are we going to be raised from the dead? The answer, again, is God. How could old Zechariah and old barren Elizabeth in their old age have a son through natural human reproductive processes? The answer is God. How could a virgin conceive and give birth to the Savior, Jesus Christ, who is eternal God? The answer is God. God is sovereign, and he alone does what he pleases. Nothing is impossible for him.
Mary’s confusion disappeared at this great answer that she received from the angel. She told Gabriel, "I am the Lord’s servant." Then she said, "May it be to me as you have said." Mary believed God.
Mary’s Song of Praise
After the angel left, Mary got up quickly and traveled to Judea to visit with Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant. When Elizabeth saw Mary, an amazing thing happened: through the Spirit of the living God, she recognized Mary, this unmarried teenage girl, as "the mother of my Lord," and began to prophesy.
When that happened, Mary also began to sing in the Spirit, exalting and worshiping God. It is this song that is recorded as the Magnificat, and at this point I want to note something: Although Mary was just a poor peasant girl, she had been brought up in a godly home, where Mary was thoroughly versed in the Holy Scriptures. Like Zechariah, Simeon, Anna, and others, Mary was looking forward to God’s redemption of Israel. So when she heard Elizabeth’s greeting, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and Scripture came pouring out of her heart.
Mary praised the Lord from the depth of her being, and it is a great witness to us of the power of praise!
Here we see a key to a powerful prayer life -- Praise and Worship of God. We are to praise Him and Worship Him. Psalm 22:3 states that "He inhabits the praises of His people." Another version puts it this way -- "He is enthroned on the praises of His people." Does not that just make you wish to praise the Lord! If you are depressed --Praise the Lord! If you need help, Praise the Lord! If someone you know needs help, Praise the Lord!
Here we see Mary, the Theotokis, the God bearer in her womb, praising the Lord. In Luke 1:46-55 we find the portion of Scripture called "Mary’s Magnificat." This great worship hymn of Mary is called the Magnificat because it begins in the Latin Bible in verse 47 with the words "Magnificat animum mea Dominum," which means "My soul magnifies the Lord."
When you open the gospel of Luke, you notice it is filled with music, especially the first two chapters. There we find five "hymns": the hymn of Elizabeth (Luke 1:42-45); the hymn of Mary (Luke 1:46-55); the hymn of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79); the hymn of the angels, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests," (Luke 2:14); and the hymn of Simeon in Luke 2:29-32, which he prayed when he saw the infant Jesus Christ and realized that God’s promise that he wouldn’t die until he saw God’s salvation had just been fulfilled.
The Christmas season is a time of great singing and joy because of the divine announcement of good news of great joy to all the people of the world. As sinners, we need a divine Savior, and the message of Christmas is that God has given us such a competent Savior in his Son who became man, the Lord Jesus Christ.
This divine announcement first came to a poor Jewish teenager, a peasant girl who lived in the despised town of Nazareth in northern Israel. The divine Savior made his grand entrance into history by being born, not in the famous cities of Rome or Jerusalem, but in Bethlehem; not to a famous queen mother, but to a poor Jewish teenager betrothed to the town carpenter; not in a palace, but in a stable and placed in a manger.
The angel Gabriel told Mary that by the power of the Holy Spirit, she would conceive and give birth to a son who would be heir to the throne of David, the Holy One, the Son of God, the Son of the Most High, the King of Israel. Mary and Joseph were to call him Jesus, for he would save his people from their sins.
Mary was puzzled at this stupendous announcement the angel made to her. "How will this be," she asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" In other words, "How can a virgin conceive without the aid of a man?" Mary knew that the recent miracle of her elderly relative Elizabeth conceiving was not unique, because such a miracle had happened previously, when God enabled Sarah to conceive Isaac. But for a virgin to conceive and give birth to a son was unique, so Mary asked the angel, "How will this be?"
"The Holy Spirit will do it," Gabriel told Mary. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you," he said in Luke 1:35, "and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Then he added in verse 37, "For nothing is impossible with God." Nothing is impossible with God! We must keep this in mind always. How did the universe come to be? The answer is God. How are we going to be raised from the dead? The answer, again, is God. How could old Zechariah and old barren Elizabeth in their old age have a son through natural human reproductive processes? The answer is God. How could a virgin conceive and give birth to the Savior, Jesus Christ, who is eternal God? The answer is God. God is sovereign, and he alone does what he pleases. Nothing is impossible for him.
Mary’s confusion disappeared at this great answer that she received from the angel. She told Gabriel, "I am the Lord’s servant." Then she said, "May it be to me as you have said." Mary believed God.
Mary’s Song of Praise
After the angel left, Mary got up quickly and traveled to Judea to visit with Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant. When Elizabeth saw Mary, an amazing thing happened: through the Spirit of the living God, she recognized Mary, this unmarried teenage girl, as "the mother of my Lord," and began to prophesy.
When that happened, Mary also began to sing in the Spirit, exalting and worshiping God. It is this song that is recorded as the Magnificat, and at this point I want to note something: Although Mary was just a poor peasant girl, she had been brought up in a godly home, where Mary was thoroughly versed in the Holy Scriptures. Like Zechariah, Simeon, Anna, and others, Mary was looking forward to God’s redemption of Israel. So when she heard Elizabeth’s greeting, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and Scripture came pouring out of her heart.
Mary praised the Lord from the depth of her being, and it is a great witness to us of the power of praise!
Friday, December 04, 2009
God's School of Prayer Number Five -- The Blessing of Covenant Prayer
Matthew 6:19-21 – Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.
We have begun prayer covenants in our churches -- praying for each other intentionally. Our friend and personal pastor, Pastor Judy Junkermeier, introduced the concept to our churches from some work shared with her by Dr. Stanley Ott, head of the Vital Churches Institute. While our prayer convenants are for a few weeks, Ott recommends a 30 day prayer covenant and we are working toward that goal.
Have you ever heard of a 30-day prayer covenant? The typical response to this question, says Stan Ott of The Acts 16:5 Initiative, is “No.”
A prayer covenant is an agreement between two (or more) people to pray an agreed upon prayer for one another. Jesus said, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19 NIV)
Think about agreeing with one another to be in a prayer covenant to pray an agreed upon prayer, for yourself and for the other person(s). Thirty days seems to work well. Ott says, "I have tried it for a longer time, but now think 30 days is more realistic. After the 30 days, of course, you can renew the prayer covenant with the same person; or you can enter a new prayer covenant at any time with anyone who will agree to enter it with you."
Stan says that if you ask someone, “Would you like to make a prayer covenant?” the vast majority of people will say, “Yes!” People love and appreciate being prayed for. Praying for one another gives them and us a formal means of growing in our prayer lives. And God answers our prayers.
One prayer for use in prayer covenants that I Dr. Ott recommends goes:
God, grant _____________ and me the grace each day to commit our lives without reservation to the Lordship of Jesus Christ; and grant _______________ and me the grace to know your strength and your guidance each day. Amen.
It’s brief and to the point. The members of our Acts 16:5 team in our area recently covenanted to pray a prayer like this for each other.
Scripture can also be used as the basis for a prayer covenant. See Ephesians 3:16-19 and Colossians 1:9-12 for possibilities.
Ask someone to make a 30-day prayer covenant with you and as you pray for one another expect God to answer your prayer!
in our churches already, we have seen several prayers answered. Some have even been the unspoken desires of our hearts. Sometimes though being part of a prayer group or covenant can be difficult. Yes it requires putting aside that time to bring others before God in prayer. It requires fitting it into a busy schedule. But it can also be discouraging to see the prayers of others answered if yours are not, or don't appear to be being answered.
It's about letting God be God and answer, as and when He chooses. Sometimes answers come quickly. It is like what Joseph said to Pharaoh with regard to the meaning of his dreams, 'the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about,' Genesis 41:32. God's answer was clear, specific and prompt.
Other times we may need, as my friend reminded all of us before we started this prayer covenant, to be like Jacob in Genesis 32:24-30. Jacob wrestled with God until he received the blessing. Often these prayers where we really have to persist and keep praying, bring the greatest blessing when they are answered.
The key thing is to intentionally pray for each other on a regular, committed basis. God knows each one and where we are at. As we have prayed for each other and exposed the concerns of our hearts God has brought blessing and helped us connect in a very real way.
Maybe God is calling you to initiate a prayer covenant? Think about it. Pray about it. Pray for others! As you pray for them and they pray for you,the blessing is magnified by the Lord your God!
We have begun prayer covenants in our churches -- praying for each other intentionally. Our friend and personal pastor, Pastor Judy Junkermeier, introduced the concept to our churches from some work shared with her by Dr. Stanley Ott, head of the Vital Churches Institute. While our prayer convenants are for a few weeks, Ott recommends a 30 day prayer covenant and we are working toward that goal.
Have you ever heard of a 30-day prayer covenant? The typical response to this question, says Stan Ott of The Acts 16:5 Initiative, is “No.”
A prayer covenant is an agreement between two (or more) people to pray an agreed upon prayer for one another. Jesus said, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19 NIV)
Think about agreeing with one another to be in a prayer covenant to pray an agreed upon prayer, for yourself and for the other person(s). Thirty days seems to work well. Ott says, "I have tried it for a longer time, but now think 30 days is more realistic. After the 30 days, of course, you can renew the prayer covenant with the same person; or you can enter a new prayer covenant at any time with anyone who will agree to enter it with you."
Stan says that if you ask someone, “Would you like to make a prayer covenant?” the vast majority of people will say, “Yes!” People love and appreciate being prayed for. Praying for one another gives them and us a formal means of growing in our prayer lives. And God answers our prayers.
One prayer for use in prayer covenants that I Dr. Ott recommends goes:
God, grant _____________ and me the grace each day to commit our lives without reservation to the Lordship of Jesus Christ; and grant _______________ and me the grace to know your strength and your guidance each day. Amen.
It’s brief and to the point. The members of our Acts 16:5 team in our area recently covenanted to pray a prayer like this for each other.
Scripture can also be used as the basis for a prayer covenant. See Ephesians 3:16-19 and Colossians 1:9-12 for possibilities.
Ask someone to make a 30-day prayer covenant with you and as you pray for one another expect God to answer your prayer!
in our churches already, we have seen several prayers answered. Some have even been the unspoken desires of our hearts. Sometimes though being part of a prayer group or covenant can be difficult. Yes it requires putting aside that time to bring others before God in prayer. It requires fitting it into a busy schedule. But it can also be discouraging to see the prayers of others answered if yours are not, or don't appear to be being answered.
It's about letting God be God and answer, as and when He chooses. Sometimes answers come quickly. It is like what Joseph said to Pharaoh with regard to the meaning of his dreams, 'the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about,' Genesis 41:32. God's answer was clear, specific and prompt.
Other times we may need, as my friend reminded all of us before we started this prayer covenant, to be like Jacob in Genesis 32:24-30. Jacob wrestled with God until he received the blessing. Often these prayers where we really have to persist and keep praying, bring the greatest blessing when they are answered.
The key thing is to intentionally pray for each other on a regular, committed basis. God knows each one and where we are at. As we have prayed for each other and exposed the concerns of our hearts God has brought blessing and helped us connect in a very real way.
Maybe God is calling you to initiate a prayer covenant? Think about it. Pray about it. Pray for others! As you pray for them and they pray for you,the blessing is magnified by the Lord your God!
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