Bethesda
Posted by: ingrid wijngaarde | Thu, May 31, 2007 7:55 pm | Tag(s): Testimonies | Write Comment | Permalink |
Bethesda
I had nobody. Then Jesus passed me by. He touched me, pulled me up, put me on my feet and taught me how to walk.
I was nobody. Then Jesus showed me His pierced hands. He told me that I am a child of His Father.
I am becoming somebody. When I understand that God loves me as I am. And that He himself will change the wrong in me to His glory.
I am somebody. When I listen to His soft voice that beckons me and admonishes me. And then He makes me a useful instrument in His hands.
Now I can be somebody for someone, who has nobody. Because Jesus gave me a name, an identity: His brother, His sister and fellow heir of the Kingdom of the universe.
I am a child of the Lord!
global rain t-shirts
Posted by: Tap | Mon, May 28, 2007 8:21 pm | Tag(s): Testimonies | Write Comment | Permalink |
It is possible to order t-shirts with operation global rain on it.
This is an initiative from the Netherlands.
You can wear it and tell people about this
wonderfull movement, which started in the
USA but is now spreading all over the world.
Is will also be something to remember this
special time by.
The link is www.777.shirtcity.com
Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be Thy Name
Posted by: dedication12 | Sun, May 27, 2007 3:51 pm | Tag(s): Bible Verses, English | 3 Comments | Permalink |
Our Father Which Art in Heaven, Hallowed Be Thy Name
Read Luke 11:11-13, 2 Cor. 1:2-3, Ephesians 1:2-3, Psalms 111 and 113
How few realize how solemn a thing it is to approach the throne of God. Angels bow before that throne with veiled faces, yet men who are stained by sin rush heedlessly into the divine presence. Let us remember that the holy angels approach the throne of God in reverence and holy fear. It is because men do not know God or Jesus Christ whom he has sent, that they take improper attitudes and utter improper words in their petitions. Instead of coming in contrition before God, men come without reverence to worship in the family circle and in the congregation of the people. How many come to the season of prayer full of self-importance, and their prayers sound more as if they thought they must give the Lord information, than as if they expected to receive something from his hand. They do not approach God as humble suppliants.. They misinterpret the apostle’s words when he tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace….It is proper that you should feel your weakness and soul’s great need, and it is at this very time that you may come to God in full assurance of faith, claiming the promise that the weary and the heavy laden shall find rest unto their souls. The boldness is confidence in God, not self-confidence. {RH, May 28, 1895 par. 7}
“I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name forevermore.” (Ps. 86:12) ”O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” (Ps. 34:3)
We are to call upon God as “our Father” for through Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself human nature to become our brother and win back the inheritance mankind lost in
Eden, we become the children of God. “But as many as received him [Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12) “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God… The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; (Romans 8:14,16,17) “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God: (1 John 3:1) “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)
With confidence the children of God may repose in their heavenly Father. The infinite, unfathomable love of God fills their hearts with gratitude and praise, as with humble hearts they seek His will.
“This name is hallowed by the angels of heaven, by the inhabitants of unfallen worlds. When you pray, “Hallowed be thy name,” you ask that it may be hallowed in this world, hallowed in you. God has acknowledged you before men and angels as His child; pray that you may do no dishonor to the “worthy name by which you are called” (James 2:7). God sends you into the world as His representatives. In every act of life you are to make manifest the name of God. This petition calls upon you to possess His character. You cannot hallow His name, you cannot represent Him to the world, unless your life and character reflects the character of God. This you can do only through the acceptance of the grace and righteousness of Christ. {AG 94.4}
“Our Father which is in heaven” is distinct from our earthly fathers. Our earthly fathers are frail, and sinners, just like us. But the God in heaven is perfect. Many a person’s concept of God is tainted by their relationship with their earthly fathers. We need to look past our flawed earthly relationships and know that our Father in heaven is perfect in love, righteousness and authority.
Our heavenly Father, with Christ, determined “to spare nothing, however costly, to withhold nothing, however highly it might be estimated, that would rescue the poor sinner. He would give all heaven to this work of salvation, of restoring the moral image of God in man. Can we not enlarge our comprehension, and for Christ’s sake see the sinfulness of selfish indulgence, the sinfulness of indifference? The want of interest and faith that has long been cherished has so divorced the soul from God that we have only a faint idea of what constitutes us children of God. To be a child of God is to be one with Christ in God {19MR 21.1}
Global Rain: Is it Dangerous?
Posted by: ingrid wijngaarde | Sun, May 27, 2007 9:14 am | Tag(s): Testimonies | 13 Comments | Permalink |
Global Rain: Is it Dangerous?
by Ingrid Wijngaarde
Lately I received an e-mail from a dear friend, who spoke with some Adventists that are sceptical about Operation Global Rain (OGR). She felt that their arguments held some validity and wanted to talk to me about it. The brother and sister agreed that prayer is important, but that the outpouring of the Latter Rain follows up to a series of predicted events. They argued that the division in our church has never before been so widespread. And that if the church in her present sorrow state prays for the Spirit, there’s the risk that she could receive another spirit. Or she may receive a message that is too heavy to carry. The brother and sister advise that we should take part with understanding. I have heard this argument before. Some even think that OGR is “dangerous”. I take this disposition very much at heart, because in my opinion the organizers of OGR took great effort to warn for just this one thing: the fulfilment of Gods promises in answer to prayer, can only be a result of consecrated lives, humility and confession and doing away of sins.
To say that when unholy people pray to God, they could be filled with an unclean spirit, is untrue. The fruit of that unclean spirit will all too soon be clear, for that spirit will not make an appeal to do God’s work, for he then will be divided against himself. (See Matthew 9:34; 12:24-29.) I advise everyone first to read the articles on the home page thoroughly before discouraging others from taking part in this global prayer event. In the main articles pastors, laymen and churches are called to remove from among them what is not in accordance with the will of God. It is CLEARLY stated that the Holy Spirit can only be poured out on the church when unity and humility have taken place such as was the case with the 120 disciples in the upper room, and only when God’s church surrenders totally, cleanses and sanctifies itself. It is emphasized that this work of humility and cleansing is not an emotional act and that it begins in the personal heart, then in the FAMILY - with the head of the family leading(!!), then in the church and only then will we be able to do God’s work in the world. Compare the story of Achan: God could not do as He pleases for His people, even though there was much ceremony among them. Because something hindered Him. Achan kept silent, while he knew that he was the problem. God had given him the opportunity the whole night to remove the banned objects from his tent – in secret, nobody needed to know! – for only the next day He would array the people before Him. Achan did not deem the work of cleansing, that he had to do, important and thought that it would not matter to God. But He, who sees all things, even the secrets of the heart, held Achan responsible for the destruction of his whole family.
AND YES! To pray for the Holy Spirit does not mean that the work will become easier, for when humbled souls are aware of their sinful state, and wish to cleanse body and spirit from all that is not in accordance to God’s will, they will be assailed and tried. But Paul says that we should take honour in tribulation, for only they let us know whether our faith can take a blow (Romans 5:3). Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments and have the faith of Jesus!! (Revelation 14:12). And patience and faith become manifest through persevering prayer. The fact that praying for the Holy Spirit is an act of people who surrender self to God first, and then claim His promises, is something that is emphasized in almost every article of OGR. We are called to pray for the Holy Spirit – Jesus himself has said: God is MORE willing to give us His Spirit when we ask, than earthly fathers good gifts to their children (Luke 11:13) – but we have to be willing to cast out of our lives that which is not according to God’s will. That is what everyone, who is taking part in this event – or in every other manner of seeking cooperation of God - has to be aware of. For God will not be mocked! On the other hand, it is not so that you have to be perfect before you may pray. No, you have to humble yourself, bow your head before God (acknowledge Him as the highest authority in your life and make yourself small before the Almighty One!), pray, return to God and put away the sins from your life and your church. Then you may, with joy, claim His promises that He will forgive your sins heartedly and heal your illnesses and havocs (2 Chronicles 7:14). But it is becoming a common thing in our denomination to worry and murmur about things that are not in order in the church, the Union Office, or at General Conference (the giants!), that we forget that God has not so much given us promises of the fulfilment of a series of prophetic events, for which we should be looking out for. God’s great promises are in the first place for our own holiness, to be able to stand when those prophecies are being fulfilled. Each person may claim his portion of divine power, if he or she wants to comply with the conditions. The Holy Spirit will enable us individually to meet the Bridegroom and while on our way, we will be able to take others along, because we will have something to tell (enough oil in our lamps – Matthew 25:4).
We must not forget that in Jesus’ time much was wrong in the church also. Still, the disciples prayed for the fulfilment of the promise, which Jesus had personally given to THEM. That is an example for what we should do. “Him that thinketh he standeth,” should do what God asks of HIM/HER. If another stands or falls, is the concern of his own Master (Romans 14:4). God has given His church the promise of the Holy Spirit in the last days and we MAY pray for Him, if only we will realise the implication for which we are praying. Let us not think too lightly of the cup of Christ. You do not drink it so easily! If we do not have the Holy Spirit in our heart, in our home, it may be proved to be a very bitter drink. I am certain that things will change in the churches and also at the Dutch Union if more Dutch Adventists will give their hearts to God, and not only so in words. A pastor CANNOT bring something else if God’s church in one accord wishes to hear God’s message! We as God’s people make ourselves powerless when we give the giants in our life so much power! Let those who think (themselves) to be faithful, pray more than normally, more than before for our leaders, as though they were lost sheep. Let us pray for the upcoming Union Congress, that persons may be nominated after God’s heart to lead God’s people in the manner of God. Let us do thàt in stead of discouraging others from praying. Finally I would like to share with you Day 23 from the wonderful booklet “In Communion With God”, a devotional guide for the School of Prayer (Dutch translation: “In Gesprek met God” will soon be off the press):
Obedience and Faith a Condition of Prayer
BIBLE GEM
Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” Isaiah 55: 6, 7
QUESTION
What are the conditions I must meet if my prayers are to be answered? What is one of the first of these? Am I meeting these conditions?
ANSWER
Must feel our need: “There are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hear and answer our prayers. One of the first of these is that we feel our need of help from Him.”—Steps to Christ, page 95.
Wholehearted consecration required: “All who consecrate soul, body, and spirit to God will be constantly receiving a new endowment of physical and mental power. The inexhaustible supplies of heaven are at their command. Through operation with Christ they are complete in Him, and in their human weakness they are enabled to do the deeds of Omnipotence.”—The Desire of Ages, page 827.
Obedience necessary: “Prayer can never take the place of duty. Those who bring their petitions to God, claiming His promise while they do not comply with the conditions, insult Jehovah. They bring the name of Christ as their authority for the fulfilment of the promise, but they do not those things that would show faith in Christ and love for Him.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, page 143.
“As the giver of every blessing, God claims a certain portion of all we possess. But if we withhold from Him that which is His own, how can we claim His blessing? If we are unfaithful stewards of earthly things, how can we expect Him to trust us with the things of heaven? It may be that here is the secret of unanswered prayer.”—Ibid., p. 144.
“If we render to Him only a partial, half-hearted obedience, His promises will not be fulfilled to us.”—The Ministry of Healing, page 227.
Faith another condition: “Another element of prevailing prayer is faith. . . . Do we take Him at His word?”—Steps to Christ, page 96.
“We are too faithless. Oh, how I wish that I could lead our people to have faith in God! They need not feel that in order to exercise faith they must be wrought up into a high state of excitement. All they have to do is to believe God’s Word, just as they believe one another’s word. He hath said it, and He will perform His Word. Calmly rely on His promise, because He means all that He says. Say, He has spoken to me in His Word, and He will fulfil every promise that He has made… Act as if your heavenly Father could be trusted.”—Selected Messages, b. 1, pp. 83, 84.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Wickedness and faithlessness go hand in hand. Unless we are going to believe that God is able to cleanse us and give us faith and Christlike love and His Holy Spirit; we have no foundation to build on.Don’t let anyone think that God will answer a faithless unbeliever’s prayers. Doubting Thomases will be left with empty hands.When we finally recognize our great and desperate need of God, and the fact that nothing in our hand we bring but simply to the cross we cling; and we have no righteousness of our own because the very best words, deeds and actions are like filthy rags, when we recognize this and we come humbly to the foot of the cross to be cleansed and purified from all sin and unbelief and we finally acknowledge that without heavenly help, Holy Spirit power, we are unable to do anything, then Heaven takes over. Mega-changes take place. Then we can say with Paul, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives inside of me. Because Christ lives inside of us, we are able to do all good things. Jesus challenges us to do even greater things than He has done while He was here on earth. John 14:12. This is what we, God’s sleeping church, need to recognize.Let us pray with faith like we have never prayed before that God’s mighty Holy Spirit power may flow through us in a latter rain experience right now.
And never forget THIS!! The Lord is still in His temple and He is still Lord of His church. I have learned that He NEVER ever gives His honour and glory to another!
Ingrid Wijngaarde, coördinator OGR, The Netherlands (iwijngaarde@hotmail.com)
40 Day Reminiscences
Posted by: ingrid wijngaarde | Sun, May 27, 2007 8:27 am | Tag(s): Testimonies | Write Comment | Permalink |
In the Bible the number 40 often relates to a period of consecration and meditation, of being alone with God. After that we see that men became empowered to do a mighty work for the Lord, because of the Power He gave them during those quiet times of prayer. Though we must not lose ourselves in numbers, I want to share with you a few thoughts about 40 days and 40 years in the Bible.
40 days of rain. The 40 days of rain in Noachs time were to wipe out the wicked world in order to establish a new one. This wasn’t Noah’s doing. He had no part in the rain what so ever. After God had closed the door of the Ark, it remained still for 7 long days. The people mocked his preaching, but Noah didn’t waver, because he knew Gods plan. After the 40 days of rain were over, he had to stay in the ark for nearly 4 months before he could step upon muddy dry land again (in total they were 5 months in the ark).
Those 40 days here were the fulfilment of what God had commanded him to preach to the people, but they didn’t listen. And I am pretty sure those 40 days were an encouragement for Noah to experience that what God says MUST always come true.
Sometimes we do not see the signs because we linger too much at “the 7 days of silence” in our lives, but this record tells us that when God sets a time, that time MUST come. This must also be a sign for us that when God promises us Power, He will send it in His time. We know His plan. Let’s not waver any longer!!
40 days on Mount Sinai. The 40 days of Mozes on mount Horeb stand out as a period of empowerment for Mozes as a spiritual leader to turn the minds of the people to God, to understand by himself what God mend with the tabernacle, to understand what God mend when he told him he wanted the people to be taught the difference between holy and not holy, sin and righteousness.To empower him to be a true minister to the people and to be a true witness to Gods glory.
The 40 days of OGR are also for the leaders of our church, who have a great task and bear a great responsibility that will be accounted for.
40 days of spying. After 40 days of spying in the promised land only Jozua and Caleb believed the promise of God. It was Caleb who gave a mighty, mighty witness to Gods everlasting faithfulness! ”We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Num 13:30). He stood on the promise of God because “he was possessed by a different spirit!!” (see also Num 14:24, 30). It was the spirit of promised power, the spirit of courage and insight.
We may also turn our eyes upon the Promised Land en receive that Promised Power.
40 days of Goliath. Goliath had been mocking the people and the Lord of Hosts for 40 days (1 Sam 17:16). When David was send forth to bring ration to his brothers at the frontline, it was there and then that he saw and heard the giant for the first time. All the soldiers of Israel stood with knocking knees or scattered like cockroaches in a beam of light when every morning and evening Goliath made his detestable appearance. David immediately said, “Who this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God” (vs. 26). From that moment on the days of Goliath were numbered and he didn’t even knew it!
Likewise we may understand that the mockery of the world will soon be over. It is our duty to tell those who wants to listen. Let’s not be afraid of the giants, they have been defeated!
A 40 day and night’s walk. Elijah could walk the 40 days and 40 nights all the way from the dessert of Berseba to mount Horeb, because the Lord gave him food and drink. After he had slain the Baal priest on mount Carmel he thought that Jezebel and the wicked people finally understood where God stands. He lamented on the mount to God that he was the only one left. God told him he was not and that He had 7.000 men who stand strong for Him, but that Elijah’s time was over. It was there when Elijah had an encounter with God in the stillness of a soft voice.
We all MUST have our own Berseba-experience at times. Our Bread and Water is Jesus, the Living Word of God!! Let’s God give us strength through Him, for our walk to Mount Horeb those 40 minutes in 40 days, where we may see the glory of God in the stillness of His gentle voice speaking to our weary hearts!
40 days for an entire country. God gave the Ninevites a probation time of 40 days, but they didn’t use them up, because they repented before the days were over. We don’t know how much time it took them to realize that God was talking serious business, but we know it was not 40 days. The preaching of Jonah, mingled with the Spirit, was enough to convince king and kinsmen.
Let those 40 days of 40 minutes be our probation time of repentance! If it was enough time for the wicked Ninevites, it surely is enough time for us!
40 days in the wilderness. The 40 days of Jesus were – as with the 40 days of Mozes, a type of Christ, on the mount - a time of waiting and preparation. They were 40 days of fasting, 40 days of intense communication with the Holy Spirit and receiving Power from that same Spirit. It was that Power that enabled our Lord Jesus to begin and to finish his Ministry.
It is the same power with which the Lord wants to empower us to finish His work on this earth!
40 days with Jesus. The disciples have had 3,5 years with Jesus, but they couldn’t understand. In the 40 days with Jesus, after the resurrection, He opened their eyes and minds. And then yet another 10 days in repentance with each other and with God prepared them to receive The Power of the Holy Spirit. Only then were they prepared to go and do Gods mighty work.
Likewise the Lord wants to open our eyes and enlighten our minds during those 40 minutes in 40 days. Do we want to give Him the opportunity to do so? It’s our call!
Indeed. We may experience new life after the 40 days of 40 minutes of OGR, but we can also go through those days and come out the same if we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to change and cleanse us. It is not the 40 days, those are no more than an appointed time, it is what happens during those 40 days.
The Forty Days represent 40 days of being in retreat with God:
- To set our mind and our imagination on Him;
- To give Him opportunity to open our eyes and minds, because just as the disciples our hearts are often hard to understand;
- To obtain the o so needed promised Power to GO and tell the world the final message of salvation!
As the Adventist Church, we have been privileged with a great commission.
Who knows if those forty days will prepare us to do Gods plan in our personal life and thus Gods plan in the world.
May God Bless you as you prepare for your personal quiet time with Him.
Ingrid Wijngaarde, OGR The Netherlands (iwijngaarde@hotmail.com)
Law and Gospel
Posted by: matt allen | Sat, May 26, 2007 1:00 pm | Tag(s): Testimonies | 1 Comment | Permalink |
Happy Sabbath Ehuffman, and to all! I only found this website for the first time last Sabbath. Just learning my way around it better. I enjoyed your last comment about the ‘new covenat’ Amen! It is not about our promises to God, but rather about His to us! Our obedience is motivated and accomplished only because of His grace and Spirit giving to us by faith in Christ by His love! This is RBF and it is very important that we understand these things, the gospel and the law go together, it is all centered in Christ. This is what our brethern were suppose to understand in 1888, some did, but most did not! This is what we too need to understand, when we are all unified like we should be, settled into the truth- in one accord then God will give us more of His Spirit in the Latter Rain outpouring. It is a joy to see that you understand RBF. We need to pray that more of our brethern will undertand RBF too! I too am still learning and have learned much about RBF over the last 30 years or so as an Adventist! This is what I pray for now and during the coming 10 days and then some. That we might all understand the Love of Christ and that by trusting in His love for us, we will obey and trust Him in everything and receive more of His Spirit to show the world His Love-His Glory, that they too may be saved in and by His matchless Love!!! Preach Christ and His never changing Love, preach the law too but Christ in the Law!!!
Yes Brother, Ellen White’s writings are amazing, she is my favorite author. I have confirmed and learned so much from her, after I meet Christ, I look forward to meeting her in the kingdom too! One of the most amazing thoughts she said, I am paraphrasing now- When we love sinners, as Christ loves sinners, then His work in us is done! Of course this means that we hate the sin, but sitll love the sinner, but its amazing that through Him that we will be able to Love others like He does! I am not there yet and may never know when I am, but I long to be made perfect in His beautiful likeness-to love like He did and thus bring great Glory to Him! Christian perfection is not about keeping the law flawlessly, but rather allowing God to perfect His character of Love in us and then we will be keeping the law too!!!
I read some of the older postings on this website today. I really enjoyed reading all your thoughts and some of the others too! It’s an inspiration to see such excellent Christ centered thoughts!
Here are some closing thoughts!
“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said,” You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, ‘You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” Luke 10:25-29
“And this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:6. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That He would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may live in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to understand with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians. 3:14-19
Matt Allen
I long for Heaven
Posted by: cheppy | Fri, May 25, 2007 8:10 pm | Tag(s): Testimonies | 2 Comments | Permalink |
Dear Heavenly Father, by your grace and power through the Holy Spirit, I approach Your throne of grace and mercy. The merits of the blood of Jesus my perfect plea, my only hope. Thank you for the gift of His life, that i wretched and miserable may be a partaker of His life by faith, His faith-the Author and Finisher of our faith. The more i read Your Word, the more convinced and sure of Your love for me, to know that You-God would long to spend eternity with me, at the cost of Your life through Jesus Christ. Heaven has become a real place for me. The sights are pure, the air is crystal clean and pure, no particle of dust, Your love displayed in all the vivid colours, reflected by Your Character. The fragrance of Your love in every breathe or air gives eternal life–Jesus who, is the sweet incense, His Righteousness, Christ Our Righteousness. The more I think and learn and read about heaven, the more i realize my need to be transformed into Your likeness, changed from glory to glory, molded and fashioned like Jesus my Saviour. The things of this world can not weigh me down, I must let go of anything of this world and allow Your Spirit to live in me, that Jesus Christ may always abide and rest in me and i in Him. Heaven will be Jesus and me and all those who love His appearing for eternity. His presence will be Heaven, and this must start here in this lifetime, for when i will be in Heaven by His grace, it will be the physical realization of what had always been, Christ in me, the hope and glory! I must have Jesus else i perish, I choose Jesus Christ the risen and glorified King of Kings and Lord or Lords. I must have no other gods! Thank-you Heavenly Father for making Heaven a place I long to be eternally with you. Your daughter, Vera.
The Model Prayer
Posted by: Luke | Wed, May 23, 2007 3:25 pm | Tag(s): Testimonies | 3 Comments | Permalink |
I was praying and meditating on how are we supposed to pray, and I was thinking about the Lord’s Prayer, and it hit me, it’s a list of how our prayers should be ordered!
Our Father which art in heaven,
recognition of Him being the only God,
Hallowed be thy name,
Praise to God,
Thy kingdom come,
asking for the soon return of Jesus,
Thy will be done,
Accepting his Diving Will as our Guide in our life,
On Earth as it is in heaven,
Recongnizing that He has the power to fulfill His divine will,
Give us this day our daily bread,
Making our requests before God,
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,
Asking for forgiveness and the power to forgive,
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
Asking for power to overcome our sins,
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Accepting that He can and will, according to His will, answer your prayer.
Once this hit me, another thought came into my mind, that our prayers don’t change the mind of God, but rather bring us into harmony with Him. I was thinking about this, for how can we come into harmony with God when most of the time we just ask for things from Him, how does that bring us into harmony? As I was thinking about this, I heard a small voice, “Pray a prayer modeled after the Lord’s prayer” so I did, then I started to say, “May thy Divine will…” It hit me, we must accept His divine will before we make our requests! When we accept this self is lost in the Will of God, so when we make our requests we have already lost self in Him! We would start making requests that glorify the Lord!
Posted by: Judith Latibeaudiere | Mon, May 21, 2007 11:05 pm | Tag(s): Prayer Requests | 1 Comment | Permalink |
I find it to be one of the most exciting exciting event that will take place on June 27(if the good Lord spares our lives). I believe this is the Holy-Spirit moving upon the hearts and minds of people because this idea was also embedded in my mind. If everyone, everywhere, is praying at the same time for a common cause , the Lord will greatly bestow upon His people rich measures of the Spirit. In a special way I am beseeching the prayers of my brothers and sisters around the world on the behalf of my family. I pray that my father will accept the truth and completely surrender his life unto our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I pray that there will be unity within my household instead of the persistant wrangling which the enemy has created. Please remember me and my family in Your prayers.
Bible texts: Early Writings
Posted by: Kay | Sun, May 20, 2007 3:09 am | Tag(s): Testimonies, Bible Verses | 1 Comment | Permalink |
There has been a particular blessing in reading and praying through the Bible texts in the book “Early Writings” from the chapter “My First Vision” page 24-31. They begin with muteness because of unbelief and end with John’s vision of the throne of God (Rev. 22:1-5) The journey through these texts is very encouraging.