Dear Lisa,
Here is an illustration I am going to start using on my own prayer schedule. God used something that interested Peter as a tool to help Peter receive what God wanted to give him. Peter was hungry and got a vision about food and spiritual truths. His empty tummy got him receptive toward food & the content of the sheet roused his deeper thoughts and lifelong training, then God and time opened up what God wanted Peter to receive in a way Peter could receive it.
I love eating good food with company and talking over the sacred things that matter most to us and getting my heart expanded spiritually to see or hope or believe more than I had before.
Meal time with God, as we talk over the things that matter most to the both of us, as well as our concerns and joys, and share what is precious to us between each other.
Since a hungry tummy always reminds me it's time to eat food. Perhaps my hungry heart will always remind me it's time for a prayer breakfast, a prayer lunch, a prayer supper - with God the Father - MY Father, Jesus the Saviour - MY Saviour MY Elder Brother, The Holy Spirit - Comforter - MY Comforter and MY source of holiness put in me. I am trying to find solutions to my own forgetfulness too . Thank you that we can share our needs remembering to allocate time to pray, in ways that are helpful to us personally. Until reading your post I had not thought of this .
I started a prayer list at Church, and the folks on it are supposed to pray daily for all on that list & their respective families & folks they influence. That sheet of paper put near my bed jogs my memory each evening. (I work nights)
I built the list to begin establishing goals to pray for to happen in the lives of each on the list as well as their family members and those they influence. Building goals, gives me goals. That helps define my daily schedule. It helps me use competing circumstances like spiritual workout equipment, as progressive physical resistance builds physical strength.
So these competing circumstances can build my determination to not only continue on a regular basis, but increase my spiritual trust and boldness of relying the direction and fulfillment of my prayers upon the mediation of Jesus joining with those prayers.
You got me thinking beyond the barriers and resistance to the success and victory because while working out is a synergy of events culminating in a more "buff" body. Prayer is a synergy of events too.
My faith does what it can to reach Jesus whether it's little or big. My guardian angel takes that rapidly to Jesus, the Holy Spirit moves in me to pray just what I need to pray, Jesus pours Himself into that prayer and speaks to MY Father as the Champion standing in my behalf and adds His limitless wisdom and faith and merit to my tiny teaspoon of prayer.
He holds up His hands and points to His side and back and forehead. He points to the massive rainbow of authority and mercy above His head and it's corresponding one around the Throne. In tones of absolute certainty He speaks to the One He has said to call OUR Father, and the absolute Monarch of the universe extends His scepter toward Jesus in acceptance. The ancient promise is again ratified and Jesus is given what so ever that is asked according to His will in our behalf. Jesus instructs our guardian angels how to fulfill these prayers, and the Holy Ghost is escorted down to us by them as His Royal Retinue as He comes to speak what is needed into existence within us and nurtures it into strength.
Lisa I do not know how your sharing your need sparked all this in me, I had not told anyone that the lack of response from the prayer group at Church was discouraging me. You're sharing your own needs with me, tugged at my wish to encourage you. I hope I have encouraged you.
Your prayers are so important to God. Here is proof why.
Of all the times of human history, you exist now - in the age when the final battle is going on. God needs people who were born on this world with a legal right to be here, make requests of Him. The illegal usurper Satan and his host are contesting everything.
You exist within the Remnant People the SDA faith, when so many on Earth either have no faith or it is not Biblically placed. You exist as you are needed most, as a praying SDA. Praying prayers of understanding faith according to Scripture's intents.
You exist in America the land of the lamblike beast that is beginning to speak as the dragon did in times past. You exist where you are needed most.
A hero or heroine is some one who will not stop for feelings or circumstances till the battle's won and the troops are safely home.
They were not the bravest, not the strongest, not the loudest, they were the ones who trusted enough to operate upon trust alone, when even their own courage gave out and trusted His courage to protect them in their helplessness and so conquered all things through Him and endured and reached home.
If I sound like I am preaching to the choir & to my self as well I am, we being human share common needs and thrive with common solutions. If I have come on too strong I apologize. Sometimes my overdoing it seems to be my own struggling against my own barriers as well.
Dear Father please strengthen Lisa, and me, and all our brethren in our prayer efforts and help us see by faith Jesus praying with us when we meet with Him in prayer. In Jesus Name Amen.
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Edward F Sutton
[This message has been edited by Edward F Sutton (edited April 01, 2001).]
