Encouragement to prayer

I discovered Sermonindex last April and have been greatly encouraged – particularly in prayer. It has fallen out that I give an encouragement to prayer each week that is included in the weekly service bulletin. Attendance in corporate prayer increased very quickly. The direction and material for those encouragements have come from my week with our Lord (Bible study, prayer) and always include quotes from this site (posts and texts).

AbideinHim's devotional post today (The Authority of the Believer in Prayer and Intercession) is very much like what I offer each week to my fellowship. His post has encouraged me to offer back here a tiny bit of what God has provided through Sermonindex.

Men, particularly men that pray, are very much on the heart of God (it seems to me). For the first time in this 150 year-old congregational fellowship we are considering an Elder form of government. So I thought I would begin with two on that subject.

This section of our weekly bulletin insert is devoted to

[size=small][b]encouragement to prayer.[/b][/size]

[b]Purpose in Prayer – by E. M. Bounds[/b] (selection from Chapter VIII)

I desire, therefore, that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing (I Timothy ii. 8).

Men are to pray; all men are to pray. Men, as distinguished from women, men in their strength in their wisdom. There is an absolute, specific command that the men pray; there is an absolute imperative necessity that men pray. The first of beings, man, should also be first in prayer.

The men are to pray for men. The direction is specific and classified. Just underneath we have a specific direction with regard to women. About prayer, its importance, wideness and practice the Bible here deals with the men in contrast to, and distinct from, the women. The men are definitely commanded, seriously charged, and warmly exhorted to pray. Perhaps it was that men were averse to prayer, or indifferent to it; it may be that they deemed it a small thing, and gave to it neither time nor value nor significance. But God would have all men pray, and so the great Apostle lifts the subject into prominence and emphases its importance.

For prayer is of transcendent importance. Prayer is the mightiest agent to advance God’s work. Praying hearts and hands only can do God’s work. Prayer succeeds when all else fails. Prayer has won great victories, and rescued, with notable triumph, God’s saints when every other hope was gone. Men who know how to pray are the greatest boon God can give to earth—they are the richest gift earth can offer heaven. Men who know how to use this weapon of prayer are God’s best soldiers. His mightiest leaders.

Praying men are God's chosen leaders. The distinction between the leaders that God brings to the front to lead and bless His people, and those leaders who owe their position of leadership to a worldly, selfish, unsanctified selection, is this, God's leaders are pre-eminently men of prayer. This distinguishes them as the simple, Divine attestation of their call, the seal of their separation by God. Whatever of other graces or gifts they may have, the gift and grace of prayer towers above them all. In whatever else they may share or differ, in the gift of prayer, they are one.

What would God's leaders be without prayer?

[b]E.M. Bounds (1835-1913)[/b] - [i]A Methodist minister used by God to write many books on prayer which have become classical works. His chief work is the book [u]Power Through Prayer[/u]. As a Chaplin in the Confederate States Army, he was taken prisoner in Franklin, Tennessee, where he was celebrated for leading spiritual revival primarily through prayer.[/i]

([b]02/01/09[/b] - Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

This section of our weekly bulletin insert is devoted to

[size=small][b]encouragement to prayer.[/b][/size]

[b]PURPOSE IN PRAYER – by E. M. Bounds[/b]
A continuation from 2/01/09 of Chapter 8: Praying Men

Praying men are God's chosen leaders. The distinction between the leaders that God brings to the front to lead and bless His people, and those leaders who owe their position of leadership to a worldly, selfish, unsanctified selection, is this, God's leaders are pre-eminently men of prayer. This distinguishes them as the simple, Divine attestation of their call, the seal of their separation by God. Whatever of other graces or gifts they may have, the gift and grace of prayer towers above them all. In whatever else they may share or differ, in the gift of prayer, they are one.

What would God's leaders be without prayer? Praying men are the safety of the Church from the materialism that is affecting all its plans and polity, and which is hardening the life-blood. The insinuation circulates as a secret, deadly poison that the Church is not so dependent on purely spiritual forces as it used to be—that changed times and changed conditions have brought it out of its spiritual straits and dependencies and put it where other forces can bear it to its climax. A fatal snare of this kind has allured the Church into worldly embraces, dazzled her leaders, weakened her foundations, and shorn her of much of her beauty and strength. Praying men are the saviours of the Church from this material tendency. They pour into it the original spiritual forces, lift it off the sand-bars of materialism, and press it out into the ocean depths of spiritual power. Praying men keep God in the Church in full force; keep His hand on the helm, and train the Church in its lessons of strength and trust.

“A MAN CAN NOT lead others where he is not willing to go himself. Therefore, beware of the prayerless church leader who no longer readily admits his own need for more of the person and power of Jesus Christ. Only a seeking, praying heart can truly encourage spiritual HUNGER in others!" – [b]David Smithers[/b]

“All hell is vanquished when the believer bows his knees in importunate supplication. Beloved brethren, let us pray. We cannot all argue, but we can all pray; we cannot all be leaders, but we can all be pleaders; we cannot all be mighty in rhetoric, but we can all be prevalent in prayer. I would sooner see you eloquent with God than with men. Prayer links us with the Eternal, the Omnipotent, the Infinite, and hence it is our chief resort. . . Be sure that you are with God, and then you may be sure that God is with you.”—[b]Charles Spurgeon[/b]

[b]David Smithers[/b]- [i]A Church historian that has a passion to see revival that will send out missionaries in this generation. Founded a ministry awakeandgo.com where you can access more of his writings.[/i]

([b]03/29/09[/b]: Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

WOW! I had just written a post encouraging saints to pray: "How is your bank account?", and I saw this post. God is telling His people: PRAY! PRAY! PRAY! That is where the victory is.

Sometimes all of the current events that are so alarming can be a smokescreen that Satan uses to divert us from our REAL and lasting work of prayer. While it is certainly wise to prepare for the possibility of bad times to come (go to the ant), our PRIMARY WORK is prayer:

1 Timothy 2:1  ¶I exhort therefore, that,[b][size=medium]first of all[/size][/b], supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

Amen Brother Michael, [b]First of All[/b].

And isn't wonderful to see how the Holy Spirit of God moves even on a web-site? I am thinking that a [u]Spirit of prayer[/u] may well come to the Body of Christ in the US, Canada, UK and others.

And real repentance (and revival) will not be far behind that.

Greg had a very sobering post on the value of a soul, asking what do we trade for that, hours of television, a third cell phone, etc. It fits also with what do we trade for time with God and intercession.

Where does that burning burden for souls come from? How does it burst into flame?

Yours for revival
JoanM

This section of our weekly bulletin insert is devoted to

[b][size=small]encouragement to pray “One Little Hour.”[/size][/b]

[b]Selections from Leonard Ravenhill on Prayer and two comments[/b].

“How does that old Hymn go? 'Go to dark Gethsemane, ye who feel the tempters power, Your redeemer's conflict see and watch with him [u]one little hour[/u]. Turn now from the world away. Learn with Jesus Christ to pray.'

“[u]As Jesus prayed the Holy Spirit descend upon Him and God spoke[/u]: 'Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.' (Luke 3:21-22). [u]Jesus prayed all night before He chose the twelve[/u]: 'And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called [unto him] his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;' (Luke 6:12-13). [u]As Jesus prayed He was transfigured[/u]: 'And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment [was] white [and] glistering.' (Luke 9:28-29). [u]Jesus prayed facing the the hour and the cause for which He came[/u]: 'Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.' … 'And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.' (John 12: 27; Mark 14:32).

“[u]He asked His closest disciples to pray, but they could not[/u]: 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.' …. 'And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?' ( Math 26: 41; Mark 14:37).”

[b]Comments[/b]: Does it break your heart that not even His closest disciples could pray with Him? Much has changed since then. The life in His blood payed the price for our sin. God raised Him and seated Him on the Throne in the heavenlies. There, “He ever liveth to make intercession for them [us]” [Hebrews 7:25]. May we lay hold of the resurrection truth that He is at the Throne, interceding for us, His body in this fellowship. And we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who helps our prayer infirmities [Romans 8:26]. [u]Now every minute that we pray, we pray with Him[/u]. Praise God! “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 4:16]. Oh that we would join Him now “one little hour.”

Consider how God looks on this: “In Acts 9: 11, the argument that God [the Lord] used to quiet the fears and convince Ananias of Paul’s condition and sincerity is the epitome of his [Paul] history, the solution of his life and work: '[u]Behold he prayeth[/u].'” - [b]E.M. Bounds[/b], [i]Purpose in Prayer: Chapter 8[/i] .

([b]04/05/09[/b]: Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

[size=small][b]Encouragement to Prayer[/size][/b]

“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.” [b]Psalms 73:26[/b]

“Prayer comes to its own; enters into its lawful heritage of mighty power only with men who have reached the end of themselves and are clinging to God. Power in prayer did not come to Jacob while he strove in his own strength, but when he clung in his own helplessness. “What poor humans are we, that God must needs let us be driven into the stress of necessity and helplessness because in no other way can he constrain us to betake ourselves to prayer to Him! Yet it is even so. Do we pray when the wind is a-beam, the skies fair, and our ship running free before the breeze? Nay, but when the mast is overboard, the rudder gone, and the ship in the trough-then we pray. Do we pray when our loved ones are in prosperity, health, and strength? Nay, but when the sober-faced physician shakes his head, and says he has done all he can, and death’s shadow settles down over the chamber of a precious one-then we pray. Strength is self-reliant and thinks it needs no God. But weakness is driven to God-reliance and there learns the secrets of the prayer life. Helplessness begets dependence- dependence leads to prayer; and prayer brings power. Out of our own insufficiency into God’s sufficiency, by the pathway of prayer, is the secret of power. Wherefore self-strength may be worse than weakness. For the weak man learns to cling and pray. But the strong one stays self-centered and misses God.

"It is not your prayer which moves God to save you. On the contrary, your prayer is a result of the fact that Jesus has knocked at your heart's door and told you that He desires to gain access to your needs. You think that everything is closed to you because you cannot pray. My friend, your helplessness is the very essence of prayer.... Helplessness ... is the decisive factor not only in our prayer life, but in our whole relationship to God. As long as we are conscious of our helplessness we will not be overtaken by any difficulty, disturbed by any distress or frightened by any hindrance. We will expect nothing of ourselves and therefore bring all our difficulties and hindrances to God in prayer. And this means to open the door unto Him and to give God the opportunity to help us in our helplessness by means of the miraculous powers which are at His disposal." - [b]O. Hallesby[/b], [i]Prayer[/i].

“All hell is vanquished when the believer bows his knees in importunate supplication. Beloved brethren, let us pray. We cannot all argue, but we can all pray; we cannot all be leaders, but we can all be pleaders; we cannot all be mighty in rhetoric, but we can all be prevalent in prayer. I would sooner see you eloquent with God than with men. Prayer links us with the Eternal, the Omnipotent, the Infinite, and hence it is our chief resort. Be sure that you are with God, and then you may be sure that God is with you.” - [b]Charles Spurgeon[/b]

“And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, … ” - [b]2 Ch.14:11[/b].

([b]04-12-09[/b]: Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

[b][size=small]Encouragement to prayer.[/b][/size]

[b]Holiness v. Hardness Towards God by Oswald Chambers[/b]

"'And He . . . wondered that there was no intercessor.' [b]Isaiah 59:16[/b].

“The reason many of us leave off praying and become hard towards God is because we have only a sentimental interest in prayer. It sounds right to say that we pray; we read books on prayer which tell us that prayer is beneficial, that our minds are quieted and our souls uplifted when we pray; but Isaiah implies that God is amazed at such thoughts of prayer.

“Worship and intercession must go together, the one is impossible without the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray. Too often instead of worshiping God, we construct statements as to how prayer works. Are we worshiping or are we in dispute with God – ‘I don't see how You are going to do it.’ This is a sure sign that we are not worshiping. When we lose sight of God we become hard and dogmatic. We hurl our own petitions at God's throne and dictate to Him as to what we wish Him to do. We do not worship God, nor do we seek to form the mind of Christ. If we are hard towards God, we will become hard towards other people.

“Are we so worshiping God that we rouse ourselves up to lay hold on Him so that we may be brought into contact with His mind about the ones for whom we pray? Are we living in a holy relationship to God, or are we hard and dogmatic?

"'But there is no one interceding properly' - then be that one yourself, be the one who worships God and who lives in holy relationship to Him. Get into the real work of intercession, and remember it is a work, a work that taxes every power; but a work which has no snare. Preaching the gospel has a snare; intercessory prayer has none.”

[b]Oswald Chambers (1874 – 1917)[/b]: Born in Scotland, he become a Christian after hearing Spurgeon as a child. While teaching the Bible, he reported being “caught up into the abandonment of God”: experiencing a “radiant, unspeakable emancipation, Christ's life in exchange for my sin.” Served as a YMCA Chaplin in WWI and died at the age of 43. His talks in college and military chapels during World War I were transcribed by his wife, a stenographer, into many books including his well-known [i]My Utmost for His Highest[/i].

([b]04/19/09[/b]: Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

[b][size=small]Encouragement to prayer - Thursday, May 7, 2009[/size][/b]

[b][size=small]National Day of Prayer - “Prayer Is America's Hope”[/b][/size]

[b]Prayer for Our Nation[/b] – Beth Moore
Father in Heaven, we lift our eyes toward Your Throne, where You reign in righteousness. Your Word assures us that when Your people cry out in sincerity and humility, You will never turn a deaf ear to us. We call upon you now, seeking Your forgiveness and favor.

Look over this fevered landscape and heal us, Lord. Drop knees to the floor and raise eyes to the skies, for we know where our help comes from. Unite these States again in devotion to You, blur every dividing line.

Do not give us over to our sins, give us, instead, over to passionate prayer that moves Your heart. “May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.” In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

[b]Selections from the Intercession of Daniel[/b] – Daniel 9:3-23
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, ... and said, ... . We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled; ... . Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness [belongeth] unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; ... because we have sinned against thee. ... To the Lord our God [belong] mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, ... yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth ... for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, ... . Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, ... . “I am come to shew [thee]; for thou [art] greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, ....”

[b]Beth Moore (living)[/b]: 2009 Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer: May 7, 2009. Prayer reprinted with permission from Intercessors for America Newsletter, April 2009.

[b]Daniel (about 605 B.C. - ?)[/b]: Faithful praying servant and prophet of God. Three times, Ezekiel names him as an example of righteousness.

([b]04-26-09 and 05-03-09[/b]: Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

Dear JoanM,

Thanks for grouping these great devotions on prayer. What a blessing.

Today a post on the Devotional Thoughts thread ([i]The Missionary Watching[/i] by [b]Oswald Chambers[/b]) reminded me of this thread. These encouragements have continued in my fellowship, for over a year now. The first one on 08/03/08 was quite short:

[b]A Call to Prayer – R.C. Ryle[/b]

Have you forgotten that it is not natural to anyone to pray? “The carnal mind is enmity against God.”... “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw near to you.” The secret [of growth and greater intimacy with God] is for us to draw nigh first.

Lately, I am including one quote each week that that points out the relationship between the Word of God and prayer. Below is the encouragement for this Sunday's Bulletin.

[b][size=small]Encouragement to Prayer[/size][/b]

[b][u]Word of God goes with Prayer[/b][/u]:
"If ye abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." ([b]John 15:7[/b]) ... 2. But there is another condition stated in this verse, though it is really involved in the first: "AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU.” If we are to obtain from God all that we ask from Him, Christ's words must abide or continue in us. We must study His words, fairly devour His words, let them sink into our thought and into our heart, keep them in our memory, obey them constantly in our life, let them shape and mold our daily life and our every act. - [i]How to Pray[/i] by [b]R. A. Torrey[/b].

“Men are commonly more zealous to support their own authority than God’s.” - [b]Matthew Henry[/b].

"Prayer is not preparation for the work, it is the work." - [b]Oswald Chambers[/b].

“Half a dozen men on their knees for 60 minutes waiting upon the Lord with the absolute conviction that they have no answer, that their human ideas and programmes are ineffective and bankrupt – they will accomplish more than 50 men around a table discussing problems for a whole year.” – [b]Alan Redpath[/b].

“When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do; when we rely upon education, we get what education can do; when we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do. But when we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do." - [b]A. C. Dixon[/b].

“The deepest impressions of T. Austin-Sparks' life and ministry came from his prayer life and its challenge to those who gathered with him at the Christian Fellowship Centre. Two evenings a week were given exclusively to prayer, and few areas of the world were untouched on these occasions. ... Additionally, the leaders and church elders at the Centre devoted all day every Tuesday to prayer and fasting.” [i]Theodore Austin-Sparks: Reflections on his life and work[/i] by [b]Agnus M. Gunn[/b].

[b]T. Austin-Sparks (1888-1971):[/b] Converted in the Welsh revival at age seventeen and barred from his parental home in 1906, he was active in the evangelistic movements that followed the revival. Continued by serving as a Congregational and Baptist Union pastor (1912-1926), then established with like-minded colleagues, a Christian fellowship and conference center in Forest Hills, London, that attracted and sent out many world-wide. He left behind a treasury of messages and articles full of wisdom and revelation of Christ.

[b]Alan Redpath (1907-1989):[/b] A well-known British evangelist, pastor (Moody Church 1953-1962) and author. In 1936 he joined the National Young Life Campaign (later called Young Life) as an evangelist.
([b]09-06-09[/b] – Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

[b][size=medium]Encouragement to Prayer[/size][/b]

[b]Men and women of prayer all put it a bit differently, but they all agree: the Word of God goes with prayer. Here are just a few examples.[/b]

[b]R. A. Torrey, [i]How to Pray[/i][/b]: Here is one of the greatest secrets of prevailing prayer: To study the Word to find what God's will is as revealed there in the promises, and then simply take these promises and spread them out before God in prayer with the absolutely unwavering expectation that He will do what He has promised in His Word. ... But how does real faith come? Romans 10:17 answers the question: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing BY THE WORD OF GOD." If we are to have real faith, we must study the Word of God and find out what is promised; then simply believe the promises of God. Faith must have a warrant. Trying to believe something that you want to believe is not faith. Believing what God says in His Word is faith.

[b]D. S. Whitney[/b], Seminary professor,[b][i] Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life[/b][/i]: The most important thing you can do is not pray but rather read your bible. For it's much more important that you hear from God than it is for him to hear from you.

[b]Dwight Moody, [i]Sermonindex, Devotional Thread[/b][/i]: Dwight Moody when he was asked which is more important: Reading the scriptures or prayer. He answered with his own question, “Which is more important to a bird, his right wing or his left wing?”

[b]Watchman Nee, [i]The Lord My Portion, July 29, 2009:[/b][/i] So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17) ... It is a waste of time to pray without believing in the word of God. In order to receive God’s grace, one thing which is so necessary is to lay hold of His word.... Whenever something confronts you, you must ask Him to give you a word.

[b]C. H. Spurgeon, [i]Plea of Faith: Do as Thou Hast Said:[/b][/i] Oh! that you studied your Bibles more! Oh! that we all did! How we could plead the promises! How we could plead the promises!

[b]William Gurnall,[i] The Promise of John 14:13:[/b][/i] Furnish thyself with arguments from the promises to enforce thy prayers, and make them prevalent with God. The promises are the ground of faith, and faith, when strengthened, will make thee fervent, and such fervency ever speeds and returns with victory out of the field of prayer.... The mightier any is in the Word, the more mighty he will be in prayer.

[b]A. T. Pierson:[/b] God has no greater controversy with His people today than this, that with boundless promises to believing prayer, there are so few who actually give themselves unto intercession.
([b]08-16-09[/b] – Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

[b][size=medium]Encouragement to Prayer[/size][/b]

[u][i]The Path of Prayer[/i] by [b]Samuel Chadwick[/b][/u]
Scholarship is blind to spiritual truth till He reveals. Worship is idolatry till He inspires. Preaching is powerless if it be not a demonstration of His power. Prayer is vain unless He energizes. Human resources of learning and organization, wealth and enthusiasm, reform and philanthropy, are worse than useless if there be no Holy Spirit in them.

The Church always fails at the point of self-confidence. When the Church is run on the same lines as a circus, there may be crowds, but there is no Shekinah! That is why prayer is the test of faith and the secret of power. The Spirit of God travails in the prayer life of the soul.

The carnal can argue, but it is the Spirit that convicts. Education can civilize, but it is being born of the Spirit that saves. The energy of the flesh can run bazaars, organize amusements, and raise millions, but it is the presence of the Holy Spirit that makes a Temple of the Living God. The root trouble of the present distress is that the Church has more faith in the world and the flesh than in the Holy Spirit. Things will get no better till we get back to His realized presence and power. The breath of the four winds would turn death into life and dry bones into a mighty army, but it only comes by prayer.

[u][b]“But Prayer ...”[/b][i] Awake My Heart[/i], August 16th devotion by [b]J. Sidlow Baxter[/b][/u]
It may seem difficult to think that one humble Christian believer, kneeling in a small room in secret prayer, can wield an influence outmatching that of ostentatious state councils. There is nothing of outward impressiveness or dimensional grandeur. Yet once we grasp the real significance of that kneeling intercessor, pleading there in the name of Jesus and persevering under the compulsion of the Holy Spirit, our sense of values is revolutionized. The decisions of deliberative bodies, and the whole course of events, can be effected by such praying.

“PRAYER IS THE BEST WIRELESS CONNECTION” – [b]Anonymous[/b]

[b]WORD OF GOD GOES WITH PRAYER:[/b] The battle of prayer is against two things in the earthlies: wandering thoughts and lack of intimacy with God’s character as revealed in His word. Neither can be cured at once, but they can be cured by discipline. - Oswald Chambers

[b]Samuel Chadwick (1840 – 1932):[/b] English born into a devout Methodist family, he worked 12-hour shifts with his father in a cotton mill from age eight. Called as a lay pastor at age 21. After an awakening and deepening of his faith in his late twenties, he burned his sermons, preaching to increasingly larger congregations with mission work in the coal fields. In 1913, he became Principal of Cliff College, a Methodist lay training center.

([b]09-27-09[/b] – Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

Note: Leonard Ravenhill studied at Cliff College during Samuel Chadwick's tenure.

This is a blessing and good one. We must pray the word, Lord Jesus honor the annointing on this word and we trust you to bring it to pass swiftly. PS 147:15 He sends his command to the Earth; his word runs swiftly.
Lord send in your harvesters to gather your people together.
Math 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send labourers into his harvest.

Luke 10:2 Therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth Labours into his harvest.

Could every conflict in the church be a conflict over who Jesus is? It seemed that way as I studied John 8 this last week, where even those that believed John 8:30-31 quickly came to picking up stones to throw at Him! John 8:59.

Oh for spiritual insight: "What are we arguing about?"

My fellowship would argue about worship! What are we arguing about when we argue about Worship? I have repeated the following encouragement to prayer for three weeks in a row now. I have others, but no freedom to move past this one. This week John 8 helped me understand a little bit more.

[b][size=small]Encouragement to Prayer[/size][/b]

[i][b]Whatever Happened to Worship[/i] by A. W. Tozer

A Prayer by A. W. Tozer[/b]

"O Lord God Almighty, not the God of the philosophers and the wise but the God of the prophets and apostles; and better than all, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, may I express thee unblamed? They that know thee not may call upon thee as other than thou art, and so worship not thee, but a creature of their own fancy; [b]therefore enlighten our minds that we may know thee as thou art, so that we may perfectly love thee and rightly worship thee.[/b]"

([b]12-06-09[/b] – Quotes from men and women of prayer.)

[size=small][b]The [u]Greatest[/u] Encouragement to Prayer

He is Risen[/size]

[u]Truth [/b][/u]
“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, … declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” (Romans 1: 3-4) “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.” (1 Corinthians 15:20) “ … It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”(Romans 8:34)

[b][u]Praise[/u][/b]
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3)

[u][b]Thanksgiving[/u][/b]
“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians. 2:12, 15)

[u][b]Confession of Sin[/u][/b]
“Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection;” (Mark 12:18) [Do we say there is, but act as though there is no resurrection?]

[u][b]Exhortation[/u][/b]
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 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: 14-16)

[u][b]Supplication[/u][/b]
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)

[u][b]To God be the Glory[/u][/b]
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2: 5-7) “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, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3: 20-21)

[size=small][b]He Is Risen![/b][/size]

([b]04-04-10[/b] – Quotes from men and women of prayer.)