PREACH THE WORD AND BE FRUITFUL

As you stand before God's people today, remember, that you're standing between the living and the dead. "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 

For the time has come when they have decided not to endure sound doctrine.

Let us look at these ten points on sharing sound doctrine. 

1. Go quickly into the world and tell all men that He is risen. Tell them, "Look not to the empty sepulcher. From grateful hearts, from lips touched with holy fire, let the glad song ring out, Christ is risen! He lives to make intercession for us."

2. Tell them, "He was condemned for our sins, in which he had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His..."

3. Tell them that "The death of Christ upon the cross made sure the destruction of him who has the power of death, who was the originator of sin. When Satan is destroyed, there will be none to tempt to evil; the atonement will never need to be repeated; and there will be no danger of another rebellion in the universe of God."

5. Tell them that this is Earth's final hour. Tell them that this is Earth's final conflict.

6. Tell them the stage is set and I'm coming back to redeem my chosen saints.

7. Tell them that everything in the world is in an unsettled state.

8. Tell them that the nations are angry, and great preparations for war are being made. Nation is plotting against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

9. Tell them that the great day of God is hasting greatly. And tell them, although the nations are mustering their forces for war and bloodshed, the command to the angels is still in force, according to Revelation 7:1-3, that they hold the four winds until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads.

10. Tell them, even if they don't believe you. Just tell them, even if they don't receive you. Tell them!

When you are called to speak on behalf of God, with a message from God, "Preach not calmly and quietly as though you were asleep but preach with fire and pathos and passion." By Charles Spurgeon

Preaching the word could apply to any line of work which one does. As long as you do it in truth, unto the lord and not unto man. The end result should be to help your community and the kingdom of God. 

If you're a preacher of the gospel or a sanitational worker, preach the word. If you are a judge or a police officer, preach the word. If you?

If you are a correctional officer or a bus driver, preach the word. What?

Whatever your profession in life is, allow that to be your pulpit, and preach the word.

Preach the word in the highways and the byways. “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet." Luke 14:23-24. 

"But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Matthew 10:6.

If the Sun stops shining, preach the word in darkness, but don't stop preaching. PREACH THE WORD!

As you go through your day, continue to be that light let down from heaven to heal the broken heart and set the captive free. 

If you are blessed through this message, share it, and may the goodness of God go with you. 

Enjoy your day 

By GARDEN MINISTRY 

LIVING FAITH

 

Today, it is difficult to exercise living faith when we are in darkness and discouragement. But this of all others is the very time when we should exercise faith. It is our privilege to carry the credentials of our faith, love, joy, and peace with us. When we do this, we shall be able to present the mighty arguments of the cross of Christ. Rabindranath Tagore says, "Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark." When we learn to walk by faith and not by feeling, we shall have help from God just when we need it, and His peace will come into our hearts. This was this simple life of obedience and trust that Enoch lived.

They say it of old, “Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God.” If you are feeling down today, ask God to help you look past your problems. Secondly, ask God to help you trust in Him continually, and doubt not His love. He knows all your weaknesses and that which you need. He will give you grace sufficient for today. "Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right for His glory.

To help us understand this fact, let me share with you a true story from Africa. “Joseph stood before a young mother clutching her dead infant in her arms. They begged Joseph to pray to his Christian God for healing.

Joseph was no stranger to miraculous healing. When he had first heard about Jesus, he was near death. As a spiritual leader in his family’s religion, he had prayed to his own gods for healing. But while lying on his own deathbed, someone shared the story of Jesus with him, and Joseph made the decision to follow Jesus. Immediately after making that decision, Joseph got out of bed, completely healed.

Amazed by God’s work in his life, Joseph began sharing his testimony with others. Word quickly spread within his community. Some were astounded by his story and wanted to know more. Others—like his own relatives—felt betrayed and wanted him dead.

As Joseph stood before this grieving family, he knew hired thugs were on their way to kill him. Yet he still made the decision to stay and pray for this child. Before Joseph could finish speaking with the family, the door burst open. Men filed in, ready to attack Joseph. Throwing his hands up, Joseph jumped in front of the family and cried out to the men.

“If my God heals the baby and brings him back to life, you will know my God is the real God,” he told them. “And if He doesn’t, you can kill me.”

Then, Joseph prayed. Silence. And then, the infant stirred in his mother’s arms. The tense, quiet room erupted with cries of rejoicing and disbelief.

Astounded, the men put down their weapons and turned to Joseph. “We want to know more about this God.” By the end of the evening, the men and everyone in the infant’s family decided to follow Jesus. As God would have it, these men, who came to the house that night planning to kill Joseph, ultimately started a church with him instead.” By Jesus Film Project.

God knows your wants and has provided for them. The Lord has a treasure house of supplies for His children and can give you what you need under all circumstances. Then why do we not trust Him? He has made precious promises to His children on condition of their faithful obedience to His precepts. With God, there is no burden that He cannot remove. There is no darkness that He cannot dispel. There is no weakness that He cannot perfect. There are no fears that He can calm, and no worthy aspirations that He cannot guide you through and justify. Whatever your needs, remember what Philippians 4:19 says, “My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. May God grant you the ability to live by faith every day.

 

Have a wonderful day. Blessings, Blessings, Blessings

 

By GARDEN MINISTRY 

THE COMMUNION SERVICE

The Communion Supper is not a celebration for only specially selected people. The Communion Supper reminds us that it is by going to Calvary—the cross of Christ—that we discover and understand Jesus’ love for us. He says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32, RSV).

“Christ has instituted this service that it may speak to our senses of the love of God that has been expressed in our behalf. There can be no union between our souls and God except through Christ . . . And nothing less than the death of Christ could make His love efficacious for us.”

“Unseen messengers are present at the Lord's Supper; both holy angels to strengthen us, and messengers from the prince of darkness to try to divert our attention, to turn our thinking from the solemnity of the occasion. So reverent and meaningful is the service that we feel deeply Christ's presence, hear His still small voice speaking to us, feel the Holy Spirit working on our hearts, thus Satan's angels can have no influence on us.”

As we gather in front of His emblems—emblems of His dignity—our hearts have an extra reason to be won over by His love, as the centurion was won at the foot of the cross (Mark 15:39). We do not have to think about ourselves—about our unworthiness—but of Jesus: “The Communion service was not to be a season of sorrowing a time to remember our sins or past religious experiences. The preparatory service is the time for this. . . . As the Lord’s disciples gather about His table, they are not to remember and lament their shortcomings. They are not to dwell upon their past religious experience, whether that experience has been elevating or depressing . . . Now they come to meet with Christ.

After Jesus finished this act of service, He said, "'Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you'" (verses 14, 15). The idea contained in the practice of foot washing, which many still practice as Jesus explicitly told us to, is not simply to come to Him to receive deliverance but to turn around and serve others so that they, too, can be delivered from the selfishness we are all prone to. We come to our Master's table to receive a feast of love, where God communicates His plan for us through food, and then challenges us to turn and sacrifice for others.

Ultimately, what God really wants us to learn from the Lord's Supper and foot washing is to bring the lessons of these rituals into our daily lives. The Lord’s Supper symbolizes our acceptance of the body and blood of Jesus, spilled and broken for us. By searching our hearts and washing one another’s feet, we remember Jesus’ humble example of service.

The Lord's Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body (symbolic and not actual body) and blood of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this experience of communion, Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the Lord's death and resurrection until He comes again.

Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession.

Jesus ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing, to express a willingness to serve one another in Christlike humility, and to unite our hearts in love.

“The self-examination, the confession of sin, the reconciling of differences, has all been done. Now they come to meet with Christ. They are not to stand in the shadow of the cross, but in its saving light. . . . With hearts cleansed by Christ's most precious blood, in full consciousness of His presence, although unseen, they are to hear His words, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you."

“Communion services should be as refreshing rain, bathing us with renewed spiritual strength. They should put a song of praise and thanksgiving upon our lips, and point forward to that wonderful day when we will hold Communion in heaven with our resurrected Lord.”

THE COMMUNION SERVICE IS OPEN TO ALL

The communion service is open to all believers in God. (1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt. 26:17-30; Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.). The Seventh-day Adventists practice communion four times a year. Other churches more, and still others every week.

The communion is an open service (available to members and non-members who feel the need to express their love and desired commitment to God) and includes a foot-washing ceremony (commonly referred to as the Ordinance of Humility) and consumption of the Lord's Supper.

The Communion Service is a moment for leaders of the church to minister to their congregants – members and visitors – as they are lead to reflect on the great sacrifice Christ made to redeem mankind from the destructive clutches of sin.

It is a moment for all to realize that although our sins may be like scarlet, the sacrifice of Christ, once we accept His forgiveness, will make us whiter than snow; that is we are forgiven.

““Christ’s example forbids exclusiveness at the Lord’s Supper. It is true that open sin excludes the guilty. This the Holy Spirit plainly teaches. 1 Cor. 5:11. But beyond this none are to pass judgment. God has not left it with men to say who shall present themselves on these occasions. For who can read the heart? Who can distinguish the tares from the wheat? ‘Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.’ For ‘whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.’ ‘He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.’ 1 Cor. 11:28, 27, 29. . . . There may come into the company persons who are not in heart servants of truth and holiness, but who may wish to take part in the service. They should not be forbidden. There are witnesses present who were present when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and of Judas. More than human eyes beheld the scene.”—DA 656.

EVERY MEMBER SHOULD ATTEND THE SERVICE:

“None should exclude themselves from the Communion because some who are unworthy may be present. Every disciple is called upon to participate publicly, and thus bear witness that he accepts Christ as a personal Savior. It is at these, His own appointments, that Christ meets His people, and energizes them by His presence. Hearts and hands that are unworthy may even administer the ordinance, yet Christ is there to minister to His children. All who come with their faith fixed upon Him will be greatly blessed. All who neglect these seasons of divine privilege will suffer loss. Of them it may appropriately be said, ‘Ye are not all clean.’ ” DA 656.

WHO MAY CONDUCT THE COMMUNION SERVICE?:

“The communion service is to be conducted by an ordained/commissioned pastor or an ordained elder. Deacons or deaconesses are not permitted to conduct the service.

WHAT ABOUT COMMUNION FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT ATTEND?

“If members are ill or cannot for other reasons attend the communion service, the pastor or elder, possibly accompanied and assisted by a deacon or deaconess, may conduct a special service in their homes.”

THE COMMUNION SERVICE IS A LONG WORSHIP SERVICE AND NOT RUSHED!

The communion is incorporated into the regular worship order of our Sabbath services with a few differences. For starters, the pastor will deliver a sermonette instead of a sermon after which the congregation will separate to the fellowship hall for the first activity, that of the foot washing service.

Children and those not participating will remain in the sanctuary reverently awaiting the return of those who left for the foot washing. 

During the communion service, you will notice a covered table situated on the main floor in front of the pulpit. It contains the “bread and wine” which will be served later during the service.

“In dress, as in all things else, it is our privilege to honor our Creator. He desires our clothing to be not only neat and healthful, but appropriate and becoming. 

We should seek to make the best of our appearance. In the tabernacle service God specified every detail concerning the garments of those who ministered before Him. Thus we are taught that He has a preference in regard to the dress of those who serve Him. Very specific were the directions given in regard to Aaron's robes, for his dress was symbolic. So the dress of Christ's followers should be symbolic. In all things we are to be representatives of Him. Our appearance in every respect should be characterized by neatness, modesty, and purity.” CCh 180.1-2.

The subject of dress is no trivial matter. “Our words, our actions, and our dress are daily, living preachers, gathering with Christ, or scattering abroad. This is no trivial matter, to be passed off with a jest. The subject of dress demands serious reflection and much prayer. Many unbelievers have felt that they were not doing right in permitting themselves to be slaves of fashion; but when they see some who make a high profession of godliness dressing as worldlings dress, enjoying frivolous society, they decide that there can be no wrong in such a course.” Testimonies for the Church 4:641.

Let us learn a lesson from government leaders, premieres, presidents, and the like. When they attend any function or speak on behalf of their countries, it is in dark clothing with men wearing white shirts for the most part. Dark clothing could consist of navy blue or even brown in some places.

With this understanding, in the church, the deacons are dressed in black suits and black ties, wearing white gloves, and deaconesses in white wearing white gloves.

The dress of the Pastor could be a dark robe, or black suit, and black or white tie like the elders.

Remember, whether out of the pulpit or in, your appearance matters. “The work in which we are engaged is a responsible and exalted work. Those who minister in Word and doctrine should themselves be patterns of good works. They should be examples in holiness, cleanliness, and order. The appearance of the servant of God, out of the pulpit and in, should be that of a living preacher. He can accomplish far more by his godly example than by merely preaching in the desk, while his influence out of the desk is not worthy of imitation. Those who labor in this cause are bearing to the world the most elevated truth that was ever committed to mortals.” Testimonies for the Church 1:446.

Did you know that your clothes preach to people? “Carefulness in dress is an important item. There has been a lack here with ministers who believe present truth. The dress of some has been even untidy. Not only has there been a lack of taste and order in arranging the dress in a becoming manner upon the person, and in having the color suitable and becoming for a minister of Christ, but the apparel of some has been even slovenly. Some ministers wear a vest of a light color, while their pants are dark, or a dark vest and light pants, with no taste or orderly arrangement of the dress upon the person when they come before the people. These things are preaching to the people. The minister gives them an example of order, and sets before them the propriety of neatness and taste in their apparel, or he gives them lessons in slackness and lack of taste which they will be in danger of following.” Testimonies for the Church 2:610.

Did you know that ministers who negligent their apparel wound those of refined sensibilities? “A minister who is negligent in his apparel often wounds those of good taste and refined sensibilities. Those who are faulty in this respect should correct their errors and be more circumspect. The loss of some souls at last will be traced to the untidiness of the minister. The first appearance affected the people unfavorably because they could not in any way link his appearance with the truths he presented. His dress was against him; and the impression given was that the people whom he represented were a careless set who cared nothing about their dress, and his hearers did not want anything to do with such a class of people.” Selected Messages 3:251.

 

Inappropriate dress can destroy the influence of those who minister, be they pastor or elder: “Some who minister in sacred things so arrange their dress upon their persons that, to some extent at least, it destroys the influence of their labor. There is an apparent lack of taste in color and neatness of fit. What is the impression given by such a manner of dress? It is that the work in which they are engaged is considered no more sacred or elevated than common labor, as plowing in the field. The minister by his example brings down sacred things upon a level with common things. The influence of such preachers is not pleasing to God.” Selected Messages 3:251.

 

MUSIC AND THE COMMUNION SERVICE:

The music selected for this service should reflect the occasion for this day. This is not a regular service, or a praise and worship service, but the Communion Service.

 

CONDUCTING THE COMMUNION SERVICE AND THE LENGTH OF THE SERVICE:

Time is not the most significant factor in the communion service. However, attendance can be improved and the spiritual impact increased by (1) eliminating extraneous items from the worship service on this high day, (2) avoiding delays before and after foot-washing, and (3) having the deaconesses arrange the emblems on the communion table well beforehand.

 

PRELIMINARIES AND THE SERVICE:

The introductory portion of the service should be brief, including only short announcements, a hymn, prayer, offering, and a short sermon.

After the sermonette, the pastor will dismiss the congregation for the foot-washing service (ordinance of humility).

Foot-washing takes place in the fellowship hall, which is divided separately for males and females participation (a woman washes the feet of another woman and a man washes the feet of another man). During the foot washing, two individuals will partner and serve each other by the washing each other’s feet, following the example of Jesus when He stooped to wash His disciple’s feet.

Once all partners have completed the foot-washing, the men and women, separately, will gather in a circle for a short moment of encouragement and prayer thereafter, they leave to re-enter the sanctuary. Quiet decorum is encouraged during this time as each person contemplates the meaning of Christ’s example.

 

ODER OF THE COMMUNION SERVICE:

1.    The worship resumes in the sanctuary after the foot-washing. The pastor often makes several remarks related to the homily prior to inviting the congregation to partake in the emblems of communion.

2.   The pastor and elders rise from their seats and a scripture is read.

3.   A prayer is offered by either the pastor or an elder for God's blessing on the bread.

4.   The pastor or elder calls the deacons.

5.   The deacons distribute the emblem to the congregation and then return to the front.

6.   The pastor indicates for the deacons to sit.

7.    A prayer is offered by either a pastor or an elder for God's blessing on the wine.

8.   The pastor or elder calls the deacons.

9.   The deacons distribute the emblem to the congregation and then return to the front.

10.                   The pastor indicates for the deacons to sit.

 

Note, the elders participating will distribute the bread and juice, at separate moments to deacons and deaconesses only, or anyone who has been overlooked.

After partaking of the emblems, the empty cups are placed in the slots provided in the pew directly ahead of the congregant. All cups are collected and disposed of at the end of the service by deacons.

A welfare offering is collected at this point in the communion service. This is a special offering taken only at Communion used to assist those who suffer financial emergencies due to loss of work, illness, or other unexpected economic setbacks.

The congregation will sing a hymn just as Jesus did with His disciples.

Thereafter the closing prayer is offered and the congregation will then be ushered out.

MAKING OF THE COMMUNION BREAD:

Only the finest ingredients should be used. Scriptures tell us that the bread used in the feast of the Passover and that used in the Lord's Supper was unleavened. The grain was ground entire, white bread now in common use being but a modern invention. Christ is the great Life-giver, but white bread, depended upon exclusively for food, cannot sustain life. Exodus 29:40 and Leviticus 2:1 give special directions as to the ingredients that are used in the making of bread for sacramental purposes "fine flour," "mingled with . . . beaten oil."

A good recipe for making communion bread is given below:

1 cup fine-ground flour (preferably whole grain)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cold water

1/4 cup olive or other vegetable oil

“Sift the flour and salt together. Pour the water into the oil, but do not stir. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until all the flour is dampened. Roll out between two sheets of waxed paper to the thickness of thick pie pastry. Place on an ungreased, floured baking sheet, and mark off with a sharp knife into bite-sized squares, being careful to prick each square to prevent blistering. Bake at 450 for 10 to 15 minutes. Watch carefully during the last five minutes so that the bread will not burn. This recipe will be sufficient to serve about fifty persons.” --Manual for Ministers (1964 ed.), p. 95.

 

COMMUNION WINE:

Wine used for communion services must be the best quality grape juice. The juice of raisins may be used if it is impossible to obtain grape juice.

Lastly, any communion service that is not done in according to God’s will, is not blessed by Him. Because it has been hi-jacked by evil men and Satan!

“Angels declare that Jesus, the Redeemer of this world, is holy. Likewise, the symbols representing His body and His blood are holy. Since the Lord Himself selected the deeply meaningful symbols of the unleavened bread and unfermented fruit of the vine and used the simplest of means for washing the disciples’ feet, there should be great reluctance to introduce alternative symbols and means, except under emergency conditions, lest the original significance of the service be lost. Likewise in the order of service and the traditional roles played by the pastor, elders, deacons, and deaconesses, there should be caution lest substitution and innovation tend to make common that which is sacred. The service of the Lord’s Supper is just as holy today as it was when instituted by Jesus Christ. Jesus is still present when this sacred ordinance is celebrated. “It is at these, His own appointments, that Christ meets His people, and energizes them by His presence.”—DA 656.

 

A PROCLAMATION OF THE SECOND COMING:

“The Communion service points to Christ’s second coming. It was designed to keep this hope vivid in the minds of the disciples. Whenever they met together to commemorate His death, they recounted how ‘he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ In their tribulation they found comfort in the hope of their Lord’s return. Unspeakably precious to them was the thought, ‘As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.’ 1 Cor. 11:26.”—DA 659. 

SABBATH FACTS - Day of Rest (Part 4)

 

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "The Jewish Sabbath (from Hebrew shavat, “to rest”) is observed throughout the year on the seventh day of the week—Saturday. According to biblical tradition, it commemorates the original seventh day on which God rested after completing the creation."

 

In the days of Jesus when the long day of shame and torture ended, He was crucified on the cross. Then, He was buried in a tomb and guarded by Roman soldiers as the sun's rays ushered in the Sabbath. On that dáy, the Son of God lay in quietude in Joseph's tomb. His work completed, His hands folded in peace, He rested through the sacred hours of the Sabbath day.

 

Now Jesus rested from the work of redemption, and though there was grief among those who loved Him on earth, there was joy in heaven for “his perfect work in the flash on earth was finished.” Deuteronomy 32:4.

 

“The Sabbath was designed to call to mind Jehovah’s Rest on the seventh day, after he had created all things in six, and thus keep in memory the living God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. It is the great safe-guard against Atheism and Idolatry. If men had always kept the Sabbath, they never could have forgotten God; never would have doubted the existence of the Creator, for this institution was designed to point them back to the time when he created the heavens and the earth. And they never would have worshiped other gods, for this institution points out the true God, who created all things in six days, and rested on the seventh.”

 

“The Sabbath, then, is a memorial of the living God. The institution is perfectly calculated to call the Creator of all things to mind, and keep him in perpetual remembrance.”

 

Soon when there shall be a “restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” Acts 3:21, the creation Sabbath, will still be a day of rest and rejoicing through the ceaseless cycles of eternity. To God be the glory!

 

With joy, we call all exclaim today:

"Don’t forget the Sabbath,

The Lord our God hath blest,

Of all the week the brightest,

Of all the week the best;

It brings repose from labor,

It tells of joy divine,

Its beams of light descending,

With heavenly beauty shine.

 

Refrain

Welcome, welcome, ever welcome,

Blessed Sabbath day,

Welcome, welcome, ever welcome,

Blessed Sabbath day.

May you and your family always be blessed and refreshed as you worship GOD every Sabbath!

 

By GARDEN MINISTRY

SECRET PRAYER

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” By Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. One day, the disciples of Jesus asked him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1. Notice the response of Jesus to his disciples, “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

 

When we offer our prayers to God in faith, He stands ready to answer them. Yet, Christ did not give the Lord's Prayer for men to repeat as a form. He gave it as an illustration of what our prayers should be in order for Him to answer them. Our prayers should be simple, earnest, and comprehensive.

 

For years many have called this prayer, “The Lord’s Prayer,” but it should be called, “The Disciples' Prayer.” This model prayer covers every aspect of prayer. It can be divided into two parts. The first three components of the prayer deal with God’s glory: “Hallowed be Your name,” “Your Kingdom come,” and “Your will be done.” The second three components of the model prayer deal with our need. “Give us this day our daily bread,” “Forgive us our debts,” and “Lead us not into temptation.”

 

John 17 is commonly referred to as Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, not because he mentions the words ‘High Priest’, but because Jesus uses intercessory language throughout his prayer which of course was the primary function of the High Priest. The job of the High Priest was to represent the people before God, while it was the job of a prophet to represent God to the people.

 

As you offer your family prayer and public prayer to God. Remember, these prayers have their place; but it is secret communion with God that sustains the soul. 

Today, many prayers are offered without faith. To follow the customs and traditions of the Church, many pastors read a set of written prayers. This form of words as their prayers is translated into the lives of the parishioners, who repeat the same prayer. But there is no real conversation with God as a friend. 

 

Form prayers are doubtful, and hesitating; they bring no relief to those who offer them, and no comfort or hope to others. This form of prayer is used, but the spirit is wanting, showing that the petitioner does not feel his need supplied. Neither does God hear these prayers.

 

On the other hand, “The idea that people can talk with God as a friend, instead of only praying to Him in a formal setting, may seem to some a little irreverent, or even impertinent. But in essence, is this not the way Jesus wants us to pray in the model prayer to God?

 

Instead of long drawn-out public prayers, let us learn to pray short and right to the point, asking for just what we need. But when you are in your closet, take all the time you need to pray to God. Learn to pray aloud where only God can hear you. Yet, in public or closet prayer, do not offer make-believe prayers, but earnest, feeling petitions, expressing the hunger of the soul for the Bread of Life. If we prayed more in secret, we would be able to pray more intelligently in public. 

 

By doing this, doubtful, hesitating prayers would cease. And when we engaged with our brethren in public worship, we could add to the interest of the meeting; for we should bring with us some of the atmosphere of heaven, and our worship would be a reality and not a mere form.

This leads to the importance of closet or secret prayer. If the soul is not drawn out in prayer in the closet… it will be manifest in the prayer meeting. The life of the soul depends upon habitual communion with God. Its wants are made known, and the heart is open to receive fresh blessings. 

 

By communing with God in private, we are able to have a spirit of gratitude that flows from our unfeigned lips openly. 

 

Secret prayer sustains the inner life and makes it ready for public service. If you say you love God and do not appreciate private prayer, then your religion is in vain. Because, the heart that loves God will desire to commune with Him, and will lean on Him in holy confidence.

 

As a child of God, it should be your duty to learn how to pray intelligently, expressing your requests with clearness and precision. “What a PRAYER was that which came forth from the lips of Daniel! What humbling of soul it reveals! The warmth of heavenly fire was recognized in the words that were going upward to God. Heaven responded to that PRAYER by sending its messenger to Daniel. In this our day, prayers offered in like manner will prevail with God. "The effectual fervent PRAYER of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). As in ancient times, when PRAYER was offered, fire descended from heaven and consumed the sacrifice upon the altar, so in answer to our prayers, the heavenly fire will come into our souls. The light and power of the Holy Spirit will be ours. . .  That God who heard Daniel's PRAYER will hear ours when we come to Him in contrition.”

 

“PRAYER to the Great Physician for the healing of the soul brings the blessing of God. PRAYER unites us one to another and to God. PRAYER brings Jesus to our side, and gives new strength and fresh grace to the fainting, perplexed soul. By PRAYER the sick have been encouraged to believe that God will look with compassion upon them. A ray of light penetrates to the hopeless soul, and becomes a savor of life unto life. PRAYER has "subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire,"--we shall know what this means when we hear the reports of the martyrs who died for their faith,--"turned to flight the armies of the aliens."

“Again, worldly wisdom teaches that PRAYER is not essential. Men of science claim that there can be no real answer to PRAYER; that this would be a violation of law, a miracle, and that miracles have no existence. The universe, say they, is governed by fixed laws, and God himself does nothing contrary to these laws. Thus they represent God as bound by his own laws; as if the operation of divine laws could exclude divine freedom. Such teaching is opposed to the testimony of the Scriptures. Were not miracles wrought by Christ and his apostles? The same compassionate Saviour lives to-day, and he is as willing to listen to the PRAYER of faith as when he walked visibly among men. The natural co-operates with the supernatural. It is a part of God's plan to grant us, in answer to the PRAYER of faith, that which he would not bestow, did we not thus ask.”

 

Today, “Satan is ever ready to insinuate that prayer is a mere form and avails us nothing. He cannot bear to have his powerful rival appealed to. At the sound of fervent prayer, the hosts of darkness tremble. Fearing that their captives may escape, they form a wall around them, that Heaven's light may not reach their souls. But if in their distress and helplessness they look to Jesus, pleading the merits of His blood, their compassionate Redeemer listens to the earnest, persevering prayer of faith and sends to their deliverance a reinforcement of angels that excel in strength. And when these angels, all-powerful, clothed with the armory of heaven, come to the help of the fainting, pursued souls, the angels of darkness fall back, well knowing that their battle is lost, and that more souls are escaping from the power of their influence...

If you expect salvation for yourself, your family, neighbors, and colleagues, you must pray. Take time. Be not hurried and careless in your prayers. Intercede with God in your closet to work in you a thorough reformation, that the fruits of the Spirit may dwell in you, and that, by your godly life, you may shine as a light in the world...

Take time to pray. And as you pray, believe that God hears you; have faith mixed with your prayers. Let faith take hold of the blessing, and it is yours...

Every petition that is offered to God in faith and with a true heart, will be answered. Such prayer is never lost; but to claim that it will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire is presumption. God is too wise to err and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly.” Psalms 84:11.

In these days of peril, we need men who will wrestle with God as did Jacob and prevail. May God grant you the spirit of wrestling with Him like Jacob did and prevailed. Genesis 32:24-31. 

As you go through your day today, remember, "When we cannot pray as we would, it is good to pray as we can."

You can send this devotional out to all your contacts. Have a great day. Blessings, Blessings, Blessings 

 

By GARDEN MINISTRY