path2prayer.com

03/05/10

Greetings!

Introduction:
I have been busy, traveling—to Edmonton, Lacombe and Calgary Alberta Canada, Toronto Canada, Hendersonville North Carolina and other locations; teaching church history, uploading many resources to path2prayer.com, and responding to emails. I know I haven’t done as well lately in responding to many of you, for which I am sorry. Be assured, I have not forgotten you, I have not stopped praying for you, nor have I been idle.

Some Encouraging Promises:
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19

“The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” Ps. 23:1

“Blessed is he who considers the poor; the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; you will sustain him on his sickbed.” Ps. 41:1-3

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Ps. 84:11

“The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” Prov. 11:25

“But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:31,32

Upcoming Travel:
Week of Prayer: Calgary Central Church, Calgary (AB, Canada), March 14-19
Witnessing Class: Lake Union ASI Chapter Meeting in Southwestern, MI, April 16
Prayer and Revival Meetings: Hampstead Church, London, England, May 1-15
Prayer Seminar: Indiana Camp Meeting, June 14-18
Prayer and Revival Seminars: South Pacific (July or August)

New Resources:
Path2prayer.com has many new resources!
Choosing A Text and Preaching by George Muller (http://path2prayer.com/article.php?id=819).
There are also entire pages of resources by great Christians:
Andrew Murray: http://path2prayer.com/article.php?id=773
Hudson Taylor: http://path2prayer.com/article.php?id=793
Theodore Monod: http://path2prayer.com/article.php?id=738#Theodore_Monod
Frances Ridley Havergal: http://path2prayer.com/article.php?id=791
Mary Lyon’s Educational Methods: http://path2prayer.com/article.php?id=782

These are just a few of the hundreds of resources that are to be found at path2prayer.com.

During the course of my travels I have learned about extending prayer in the church, I have been encouraging new ways to pray and observed answers to prayer first hand.

New Ways to Pray:
We call it “Collective Praying” locally, and it refers to a form of group praying where one person facilitates the praying of many mini, one item, prayers, in a sequence of topics starting with adoration, then confessing, then thanking God for the good things He has been doing, and concluding with supplication. It is easy to remember the progression if you think of the book of “ACTS.” Even families are picking up on this since it allows all the members of a family to easily participate regardless of prior experience with prayer. In our larger prayer meetings locally, people divide into groups of five or six and one person leads all the groups from the front. which allows many groups of people to pray together in a concert of prayer. You can find more information on this kind of praying at the Collective Conversational Prayer link.

New Ways of Connecting in Prayer:
While in Edmonton, I met Allen who promotes prayer in a unique way in his church in Toronto: He has written the name and phone number of each member of his church on a separate prayer card, and gives these cards to each member when they leave church. The members are encouraged to call the person listed on the card to find out how he or she can be prayed for. The members bring back the cards to church the next weekend, turn in the cards, and then are given a different card when they leave. This is a great idea and we are using it in our church. Thank you Allen for this good idea!

The Value of Testimonies:
On these trips attendees were encouraged to share how God was answering prayers. They did. The sharing of these testimonies led to more praying, and resulted in more answers to prayer. Please prominently feature testimonies in your midweek services and at church if possible.

Some Testimonies…

In Edmonton:
Glory was not doing well at work and greatly feared losing her job. So we made it a matter of specific prayer. Notice what she wrote: “I prayed and started working. I did better. The whole day my main manager didn’t come. In the evening he returned and started observing me. He came and told me “this is your test order.” I made a mistake again. Then God worked on his mind and he observed me again and found I did well. The whole day I did well and did not get nervous. At the end of the day an amazing thing happened. A customer called my second manager and said in front of me, ‘This girl is very good I am very pleased with her customer service, you should know it and I want you to inform your main Manager.’ Then he thanked me. I was so glad for that. A few hours later another customer came and called the same manager and took him aside and talked. When the manager returned I asked him, ‘Did I make any mistake?’ He told me – ‘No. It was the second compliment about you.’ My tears came out. It’s really amazing; my living God did it for me.” I have since received the following email: “Hi Dan. We are doing wonderfully. How are you? I’m working well. It’s time to thank God for answering our prayer. Thank you for your prayers.”

In Lacombe:
One of the students attending the prayer meetings told us she was doing poorly in calculus and requested that we pray for her. We did. The next day she returned with a smile on her face and a wonderful testimony of answered prayer. She shared how she had almost not come to prayer meeting because she needed to study for a calculus mini exam. But remembering that skipping prayer meetings had never helped in the past—her grades had not improved as a result of skipping prayer meetings in the past—she had come regardless. Hearing other testimonies, she had requested prayer and left believing that God was going to hear her prayer. Here is her instructive testimony:

“During Dan’s first few meetings I realized I needed to pray specifically and not be hesitant to ask according to God’s will.  Also once asking to wait with expectancy, knowing Jesus has heard me! I’d been thinking about how I pray, asking God for help, particularly with Calculus, and although from the many stories I knew God had heard and could answer, I didn’t think He actually would/will—the story is not finished yet.  In the meeting on the first, I saw how I’d been thinking and that it was wrong!  So I chose to take God at His Word, and believe He had heard my prayers (and Christie and Dan’s), and that He would help me do very well on the quiz the next morning so that I would pass the class. After I came back from the evening meeting I felt very awake.  Studying didn’t seem to usually help in calculus.  But I didn’t feel right not studying and expecting God to answer my prayer.  As I studied I asked God to help me by making me tired when I should stop and go to bed, so that I would still get enough sleep.  He did. The next morning I went to the 7:40 class.  Our teacher let us take the quiz at our later 1:15 PM class that day.  Praise God!  So I was able to study during my spare period.  I couldn’t figure out one particular practice question.  When the time came for the quiz I’d only studied for 2 of the 3 chapters.  On the quiz there were 3 questions, one from each chapter, and we were to answer any 2!  Praise God again!  I did the ones I’d studied for.  One of the questions was like the one I’d been trying to answer while studying but couldn’t get.  I felt I did really well for the 1st time, but I had to wait for the next class to find out.  When I finished writing the quiz I kept smiling to myself during the lecture because I knew God had heard and helped.  It was so different than the last quiz, which caused me to feel so bad that I could hardly concentrate the rest of the class. Later that afternoon I tried that same question again and I couldn’t get it.  To me this was evidence that God gave me wisdom and understanding during the quiz.  I also did as was suggested in the meetings: prayed over every question. Friday morning I got my quiz back and I made 2 minor errors, but I WAS GIVEN 100%!  God answers prayer! I am so excited!

Southern Indiana:
While in southern Indiana I had the opportunity to hear prayer stories shared by an older saint. During our time together, he spoke of his wife asking God to get his attention and his business burning to the ground as a result; and of another time when his horses escaped their pasture, but came back in answer to prayer.

Here at home:
I was contacted about praying for a gentleman’s wife who needed a score of 91% for a course. Two days ago a note arrived: She scored 91%! Yes God is answering prayers in wonderful and sometimes dramatic ways. I hope you are still praying!

A Testimony from Hudson Taylor:
Here is a testimony from Hudson Taylor the founder of the China Inland Mission, who worked under very difficult circumstances and far from any banks or cash machines:

“Many seem to think that I am very poor. This certainly is true enough in one sense, but I thank God it is “as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.” And my God shall supply all my need; to Him be all the glory. I would not, if I could, be otherwise than I am—entirely dependent myself upon the Lord, and used as a channel of help to others.

“On Saturday, November 4, our regular home mail arrived. That morning we supplied, as usual, a breakfast to the destitute poor, who came to the number of seventy. Sometimes they do not reach forty, at other times exceeding eighty. They come to us everyday, Lord’s Day excepted, for then we cannot manage to attend to them and get through all our other duties too. Well, on that Saturday morning we paid all expenses, and provided ourselves for the morrow, after which we had not a single dollar left between us. How the Lord was going to provide for Monday we knew not; but over our mantelpiece hung two scrolls in the Chinese character—Ebenezer, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”; and Jehovah-Jireh, “The Lord will provide”—and He kept us from doubting for a moment. That very day the mail came in, a week sooner than was expected, and Mr. Jones received a bill [a check] for $214. We thanked God and took courage. The bill was taken to a merchant and although there is usually a delay of several days in getting the change, this time he said, “Send down on Monday.” We sent, and though he had not been able to buy all the dollars, he let us have seventy on account; so all was well. Oh, it is sweet to live thus directly dependent upon the Lord, who never fails us!

“On Monday the poor had their breakfast as usual, for we had not told them not to come, being assured that it was the Lord’s work, and that the Lord would provide. We could not help our eyes filling with tears of gratitude when we saw not only our own needs supplied, but the widow and the orphan, the blind and the lame, the friendless and the destitute, together provided for by the bounty of Him who feeds the ravens. “O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together… Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Oh fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing”—and if not good, why want it?

“But even $200 cannot last forever, and by New Year’s Day supplies were again getting low. At last, on January 6, 1858, only one solitary cash remained—the twentieth part of a penny—in the joint possession of Mr. Jones and myself; but though tried we looked to God once again to manifest His gracious care. Enough provision was found in the house to supply a meager breakfast; after which, having neither food for the rest of the day, nor money to buy any, we could only betake ourselves to Him who was able to supply all our need with the petition, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

“After prayer and deliberation we thought that perhaps we ought to dispose of something we possessed in order to meet our immediate requirements. But on looking round we saw nothing that we could well spare, and little that the Chinese would purchase for ready money. Credit to any extent we might have had, could we conscientiously have availed ourselves of it, but this we felt to be unscriptural in itself, as well as inconsistent with the position we were in. We had, indeed, one article—an iron stove—which we knew the Chinese would readily purchase; but we much regretted the necessity of parting with it. At length, however, we set out to the founder’s, and after a walk of some distance came to the river, which we had intended to cross by a floating bridge of boats; but here the Lord shut up our path. The bridge had been carried away during the preceding night, and the river was only passable by means of a ferry, the fare for which was two cash each person. As we only possessed one cash, our course clearly was to return and await God’s own interposition on our behalf.

“Upon reaching home, we found that Mrs. Jones had gone with the children to dine at a friend’s house, in accordance with an invitation accepted some days previously. Mr. Jones, though himself included in the invitation, refused now to go and leave me to fast alone. So we set to work and carefully searched the cupboards; and though there was nothing to eat, we found a small packet of cocoa, which, with a little hot water, somewhat revived us. After this we again cried to the Lord in our trouble, and the Lord heard and saved us out of all our distresses. While we were still upon our knees a letter arrived from England containing a remittance.

“This timely supply not only met the immediate and urgent need of the day; for in the assured confidence that God, whose we were and whom we served, would not put to shame those whose whole and only trust was in Himself, my marriage had been previously arranged to take place just fourteen days after this date. And this expectation was not disappointed; for “the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed.” And although during subsequent years our faith was often exercised, and sometimes severely, He ever proved faithful to His promise, and never suffered us to lack any good thing. “And if not good, why want it?”

Some Instructive Words from George Muller:
“Only let it be trust in God, not in man, not in circumstances, not in any of your own exertions, but real trust in God, and you will be helped in your various necessities… Not in circumstances, not in natural prospects, not in former donors, but solely in God. This is just that which brings the blessing. If we say we trust in Him, but in reality do not, then God, taking us at our word, lets us see that we do not really confide in Him; and hence failure arises. On the other hand, if our trust in the Lord is real, help will surely come. ‘According unto thy faith be it unto thee.’ It is a source of deep sorrow to me, that, notwithstanding my having so many times before referred to this point, thereby to encourage believers in the Lord Jesus, to roll all their cares upon God, and to trust in Him at all times, it is yet, by so many, put down to mere natural causes, that I am helped; as if the Living God were no more the Living God, and as if in former ages answers to prayer might have been expected, but that in the nineteenth century they must not be looked for.”

“While we have often been brought low, yea, so low that we have not had even as much as a single penny left, or so as to have the last bread on the table, and not as much money as was needed to buy another loaf, yet never have we had to sit down to a meal without our good Lord having provided nourishing food for us. I am bound to state this, and I do it with pleasure. My Master has been a kind Master to me, and if I had to choose this day again as to the way of living, the Lord giving me grace, I would not choose differently.”

“Sometimes I found children of God tried in mind by the prospect of old age, when they might be unable to work any longer, and therefore were harassed by the fear of having to go into the poorhouse. If in such a case I pointed out to them, how their Heavenly Father has always helped those who put their trust in Him, they might not, perhaps, always say, that times have changed; but yet it was evident enough, that God was not looked upon by them as the LIVING God. My spirit was oft times bowed down by this, and I longed to set something before the children of God, whereby they might see, that He does not forsake, even in our day, those who rely upon Him.”

“The child of God ought not to have a single care about anything. Not even the poor woman who has a drunken husband ought to have a single anxiety about him. Everything should be taken to the Lord, and left there. If we began to carry our own burdens, the Lord would add to them. If we had a pound-weight of care, and carried it ourselves, the Lord would make it ten pounds, and go on increasing the weight till it crushed us, and, overwhelmed by our trouble, we should be obliged at last to cast it upon Him.”

Service Opportunities:
Many mission and not for-profit organizations are in need of our financial support these days, and there is always a need for volunteers. “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” Prov. 11:25

A Prayer:

Father, I am glad you are still in charge of this world. Thank you for having a purpose for my friend. Show yourself faithful in every way, providing the resources, work, love, and blessed relationships, and whatever else is need; and most of all, a close and wonderful relationship with you. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Final Thought:
“The men who have done mighty things for God have always been mighty in prayer, have well understood the possibilities of prayer, and made most of the possibilities.”—E. M. Bounds

Find more on prayer at path2prayer.com

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Charles Spurgeon makes the following interesting statement about united prayer:

“It has pleased God to make prayer the abounding and rejoicing river through which most of our choice mercies flow to us. It is the golden key which unlocks the well-stored granaries of our heavenly Joseph. As many mercies are conveyed from Heaven in the ship of prayer, so there are many choice and special favors which can only be brought to us by the fleets of united prayer.”

Do you agree? From what I observe at many prayer meetings, I am not so sure many agree! That is sad, for it is true that many of God’s choicest blessings come as we unite praying together.

This statement comes from a wonderful sermon where he speaks to the need for united praying and praising, and points out that praying for pastors is especially called for when we are praying together.

He also strongly believed that all of God’s children could  and should pray:

“We cannot all preach. We cannot all rule. We cannot all give gold and silver-but we can all contribute our prayers. There is no convert, though he is but two or three days old in Divine Grace, but can pray. There is no bedridden Sister in Jesus who cannot pray. There is no sick, aged, imbecile, obscure, illiterate, or penniless Believer who cannot add his supplications to the general stock. This is the Church’s riches. We put boxes at the door that we may receive your offerings to God’s cause-remember there is a spiritual chest within the Church into which we should all drop our loving intercessions, as into the treasury of the Lord. Even the widow without her two mites can give her offering to this treasury. See, then, dear Friends, what union and communion there are among the people of God, since there are certain mercies which are only bestowed while the saints unitedly pray.”

Spurgeon, by the way, is one of my favorite authors when it comes to prayer. He was considered one of the greatest preachers that ever lived, and preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Newington (London) England.

You can read the rest of his sermon on United Praying and Praising at path2prayer.com.

You can also find a handout to use at your midweek prayer service at path2prayer.com.

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“Ask of Me and I will give….” Ps. 8:2

For the praying saints of the past, their faith in prayer was not a passing attitude that changed with the wind or with their own feelings and circumstances, they were confident that God always heard and answered, that His ear was always open to the cry of His children, and that the power to do what was asked of Him was equal to His willingness…. Everything was possible to the men and women who knew how to pray, and it is still possible today. Prayer, indeed, opened a limitless storehouse, and God’s hand withheld nothing. Prayer introduced those who practiced it into a world of privilege, and brought the strength and wealth of heaven down to the aid of finite man. What rich and wonderful power they had who learned the secret of victorious approach to God! With Moses it saved a nation; with Ezra it saved a church.

And yet, strange as it seems when we contemplate the wonders of which God’s people had been witnesses, they became slack in prayer. The mighty hold upon God, which had so often struck awe and terror into the hearts of their enemies, lost its grip. The people, backslidden and apostate, had gone off from their praying-if the bulk of them had ever truly prayed.

In vain had the decree established the divine order, the divine call, ‘Ask of Me.’ From their earnest and fruitful crying to God, the Israelites turned their faces to pagan gods and cried in vain for the answers that could never come. Thus they sank into that godless and pitiful state in which they lost their purpose in life, because the link with the Eternal had been broken. Their favored dispensation of prayer was forgotten; they no longer knew how to pray.

What is the solution in our day? Ask!—E. M. Bounds

Learn more about prayer at path2prayer.com

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“Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.” Hosea 7:8

In the past centuries God often used letters to bring great blessings to His children. Among famous letter writers were John Newton, Fenelon, Gerhard Tersteegen and Samuel Rutherford.

The following comes from a letter by Samuel Rutherford who was a non-conformist Scottish Puritan, who was banished from Edinburgh for refusing to comply with the dictates of the ruling prelates, and forced to live in Aberdeen where he was not allowed to preach. The banishment was not welcomed and hard to endure, but in his difficulties he discovered an understanding of God and His ways that would not have been possible in any other context. In this letter he extolls God’s gracious care and blessing in his “confinement,” concluding that his prison had “neither lock nor door.” This was obviously true since he was free to move about, but he was speaking to the greater reality of God not only bringing blessings no matter what was going on, but also God bringing special blessings. Eventually Rutherford was condemned to death for his non-conformist views, but he was spared the execution, for he died of illness before it was carried out. However, he was looking forward to dying for Jesus. I think we need to adopt Rutherford’s attitude towards our trials and begin viewing them through the lens of God’s love and perfect keeping, for our situations have “neither lock nor door” in our day.

Rutherford’s letter…

Dear Brother:

I never believed, till now, that there was so much to be found in Christ on this side of death and of heaven. Oh, the ravishments of heavenly joy that may be had here, in the small gleanings of comforts that fall from Christ! “What fools are we who know not, and consider not the weight and the telling that is in the very earnest-penny, and the first fruits of our hoped-for harvest! How sweet, how sweet is our infeftment (old Scottish word referring to taking possession of property, in this case of the blessings found in Christ)! Oh, what then must personal possession be!

I find that my Lord Jesus hath not miscooked or spilled this sweet cross; He hath an eye on the fire and the melting gold, to separate the metal and the dross. Oh how much time would it take me to read my obligations to Jesus my Lord, who will neither have the faith of His own to be burnt to ashes, nor yet will have a poor believer in the fire to be half raw, like Ephraim’s unturned cake! This is the wisdom of Him who hath His fire in Zion, and furnace in Jerusalem. I need not either bud or flatter temptations and crosses, nor strive to buy the devil or this malicious world by, or redeem their kindness with half a hairbreadth of truth. He who is surety for His servant for good doth powerfully overrule all that. I see my prison hath neither lock nor door: I am free in my bonds, and my chains are made of rotten straw; they shall not bide one pull of faith…. Therefore we wrong Christ who sigh, and fear, and doubt, and despond in them. Our sufferings are washed in Christ’s blood, as well as our souls; for Christ’s merits brought a blessing to the crosses of the sons of God. And Jesus hath a back-bond of all our temptations, that the free-warders shall come out by law and justice, in respect of the infinite and great sum that the Redeemer paid….

I bless the Lord, that all our troubles come through Christ’s fingers, and that He casteth sugar among them, and casteth in some ounce-weights of heaven, and of the Spirit of glory that resteth on suffering believers, into our cup, in which there is no taste of hell.

My dear brother, ye know all these better than I. I send water to the sea, to speak of these things to you; but it easeth me to desire you to help me to pay my tribute of praise to Jesus. Oh what praises I owe Him! I would I were in my free heritage, that I might begin to pay my debts to Jesus. I entreat for your prayers and praises. I forget not you.

Your brother and fellow-sufferer in and for Christ,
Samuel Rutherford,
Aberdeen, Sept. 17, 1637

Read the rest of Rutherford’s letter and more articles on how to endure trials at path2prayer.com.

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Here’s some more poetry from my friend E. Toni Doswell. I can only say, by God’s grace, ME TOO!

I Just Want To Make It Home

I’m tired, been on this journey a long, long, time.
I just want to make it on Home.
I’m too far away to see the kitchen lights aglow.
But close enough to see the tiny path that leads there.
A path where many worn and torn adventurers have walked,
Bravely carrying the cross of Prince Emmanuel.

I’ve been buffeted, slapped, whipped, bruised and beaten,
But I continue on.
The prize is too great to even think about turning back.
Yes, I just want to make it Home.

This world jostles you like a wild horse on a mountain range.
No matter which way you go, it’s designed to keep you on your back.
But I hear the bells from afar ringing from the pearly gates.
And I just want to make it Home.

There’s been a lot of criticism lately— well– there always has been.
Skeptics who don’t believe that such a place exists.
They have their scientific reasons all mathematically calculated,
But somehow the batteries in their calculators are all down.
Even their pens have run out of ink and their pencils are dull.
From my calculations, it’s through the opening in the distant constellation Orion
That I see Home.

I ask you not to try to pull me back.
Don’t try to twist my arm to return back into this world of sin of deceit.
Ain’t nothing to be gained by that trick.
I got my eye on Home, and you can’t make me quit.

The gates there are pearly. The streets are gold.  The walls of precious stones and jasper do exist.
Ain’t nothing like Home.
I got a mansion there, not fashioned with the hands of men.
My Father called me to take this journey a long time ago.
I just can’t wait to see it all when I go Home.

My steps are slower now than when I first started.
My head is gray and the strands are few.
But Home is still in my head, fresh as ever.
And I’m still trudging on.

Goin to make it—- Yes!
Can’t be shaken — Yes!
Battle scarred, tired and weary — Yes!
But I’m going to make it Home.  — YES!

Written 1/12/2010

Read more of Toni’s poetry at her page at path2prayer.com

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I added a sermon to path2prayer.com from Theodore Monod this morning that is wonderful. You may want to read it for yourself.

Here is a paragraph from his sermon:

“A friend was telling me that he has had more gladness in his ministry in three months than during the twelve previous years. How is that? Did not he know of “the rest of faith?” Yes, years ago. What then? Ah! now he knows the joy of bringing souls to the Lord, and his strength and youth are renewed. It is a great thing to have the rest of faith; but then there is the rest of obedience, the rest of service, the rest that the Saviour promises when He says: “If any man will do My will; I will manifest Myself unto him? “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me, and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” That is true rest, that is lasting rest, in unity of purpose, in unity of work with the Lord. We have first to be converted; then we have to be consecrated to God; further, we have to be consumed on the altar of sacrifice; thus shall we be conquerors, and more than conquerors, bringing others with us to Him that loved us first.”

You can find his sermon at this link: Union with Christ; Source of Fruitfulness

Should you be curious, Monod was a popular speak of the Keswick Holiness Meetings.

I also love the following poem:

On Thee My Heart Is Waiting…

On thee my heart is resting!
Ah, this is rest indeed!
What else, Almighty Saviour,
Can a poor sinner need?
Thy light is all my wisdom,
Thy love is all my stay;
Our Father’s home in glory,
Draws nearer every day.

My guilt is great, but greater
The mercy Thou dost give;
Thyself, a spotless Offering,
Hast died that I should live.
With Thee, my soul unfettered
Has risen from the dust;
They blood is all my treasure,
Thy word is all my trust.

Through me, Thou gentle Master,
Thy purposes fulfill!
I yield myself for ever
To Thy most holy will.
What though I be but weakness,
My strength is not in me;
The poorest of Thy people
Has all things, having Thee.

When clouds are darkest round me,
Thou, Lord art then most dear,
My drooping faith to quicken,
My weary soul to cheer.
Safe nestling in Thy bosom,
I gaze upon Thy face;
In vain my foes would drive me
From Thee, my hiding-place.

‘Tis Thou hast made me happy,
‘Tis Thou hast set me free;
To whom shall I give glory
For ever, but to Thee?
Of earthly love and blessing
Should every stream run dry,
Thy grace shall still be with me,
Thy grace, to live and die!

There is much on Monod at the Monod Page at Path2prayer.com.

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What does it mean to be too busy? That is a question I often ponder and one I suspect you ponder too. Is there such a thing? When you read of Jesus going and praying through the night and appearing in the early morning hours, it is hard not to question his personal temperance. I know questioning what Jesus was doing isn’t the first thing one thinks of doing, but are there limits?

I choose not to suggest an answer, since I believe God apparently grants supernatural strength to those who are living for Him. Note the following example of Gerhard Tersteegen, the German Pietist, who was greatly used of God in his day.

Tersteegen was in ministry in the early 1700s. Though he was naturally reclusive, yet he had such a relationship with Jesus that God began sending people to him from far and near.

“For thirty years, starting at the age of 30, he remained incessantly busy doing good to others, though his own health was always delicate, and from time to time he had severe attacks of illness and of neuralgic pain. From morning to night he never had a moment to himself; the number of those who flocked to him for counsel was so great that there were frequently twenty or thirty persons waiting in his outer room for a chance to speak with him, while his meetings were always attended by as many as could crowd into the rooms of the ground floor of his little house—about four hundred people. People came to him from England, Holland, Sweden, and Switzerland; sick person would send for him, and he would pass hours or whole nights at their bedside. If he went into the neighboring country for rest, people would watch for him by the roadside and carry him off to the nearest barn, where a congregation would immediately assemble. He had an immense correspondence, and new editions of his hymns and other religious works were constantly demanded. To his quiet temperament this incessant labor and absence of solitude was most uncongenial, but he accepted it willing as his appointed task…. In all his dealings, it is recorded, he was most ‘circumspect, punctual, and practical,’ though ready to set aside his ordered plans at any call of obvious duty.” (H. E. Govan, Gerhard Tersteegen: Life and Selections)

Something tells me I need to first make sure I have an authentic relationship with Jesus, such that my work is really the work He has chosen for me, and that I have something real and personal to share—religion is more caught than taught.

What do you think?

You can learn more about Gerhard Tersteegen at the Gerhard Tersteegen Page at path2prayer.com

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I received the following poetry from a friend, on remembering those who are less fortunate. It is worth pondering. I appreciate receiving her permission to share this with others.

Even So, Come Lord Jesus

by E. Toni Doswell

I saw a young man all dressed up in the latest
His pants hung low with no belt– they call it sagging.
In his mouth a long protruding cigarette dangled.
He waddled down the street as best he could,
Occasionally reaching down to pull up his pants.
On his face there was also a sag.
He had been down to the unemployment office 50 times,
And still no one seemed to want to hire him.
He was strong.  He was willing to work.
But no one wanted him when they saw his sagging pants.
They wondered if he had a sagging attitude, too.
He was not alone.  A whole host of others sat at his table of affairs.
It’s too bad that we, the society, cannot understand.
Jesus loves him just as much as he does us, and pities him even more.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

And then, not far down the street my eye noticed an older woman.
She was huddled beneath a blanket under a staircase
Where she thought she could hide and get a good night’s sleep.
The shelter where she stayed for 30 days had just evicted her.
They had to make room for others, and so….
She returned back on the streets.  At least no one could evict her
From under the stairs where she as able to cuddle and huddle.
Her family, her children, had all abandoned her.
Her children, with their selfish whims and high minds thought
“Out of sight—out of mind!”  Not remembering that it was she who had
Changed their diapers, sacrificed, and done the best she could by them.
Now, that they had “arrived,” they went their selfish ways.
Just waiting for her to die—and just go away.
But the Heavenly Father knew, and gave them their wish.  He sent an angel to her side.
As the cold wind whipped into her face for the last time
He cuddled her in His bosom and took her away to rest.  Her toils had ended.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

I look at the children who are being born into the world.
Some are born into homes where they will grow and bloom progressively.
Others are born into homes where they will be stunted for life.
The “village helps raise the child,” but some people in the village never grew up
So what do you expect from the children, but the same old ways?
Children are our future.  They will one day rule.
But it seems so many parents want to keep the discipline out of the picture,
Thus, they participate in raising a fool.
The child begins to rule them, and they refuse to raise their hand.
They call it “corporal punishment.”  Parents are scared to go to jail
and so they cannot take a stand.
However, they are called to “take the stand” when their child goes to jail.
Then they wish they had disciplined him or her to save them from the hell
They will have to face in prisons and jail.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

There are many saintly people who, too, are missing the mark.
They attend church all week long and look the part.
They are called “Sister,” “Brother,” “Deacon,” Reverend,” “Pastor” and Friend.”
They are so busy going to church, sometimes they even leave their children at home for themselves to fend.
Some take their children and stay all day and all night long.
They sing and pray and have “lock-ins” until their voices can’t even sing a song.
They think that is religion, and maybe it is so.
But what about the teeming multitudes to which Jesus would have them to go?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The newspapers and cable networks blare out the social disgraces of the famous who
have yielded to temptation once or many times.
Reporters surround these poor victims seeking to take a picture of them and point out their crimes.
Society begins to judge them and remove them from off their pedestals.
The people who were friendly to them in the time of plenty begin to act like they have a plague.
The famous begin to see they are but human, too.
And the things they thought could be hidden from human eyes,
come out of the closets to haunt them as their money in the bank dwindles down into their lawyers’ bank accounts, and they begin to assess what really counts—money, friends, fans, or family ties.
What really counts is how God sees us in our walks of life.
Power, pleasures, wealth or fame are just icing on the cake as we strive.
Jesus has it all, and He chose to stoop down low.
To save lost humanity who didn’t know where to go.
He’s coming back to take his jewels, not heroes and idols, home.
There, we’ll reign forever in the Heavenly home as priests and kings.
What a day of rejoicing as we open our mouths to praise Him, shout, and sing!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Humans are like plants—here today, and gone tomorrow.
They feel important at times because people applaud them.
They want fame, wealth, fortune and “stuff.”
And never seem to have enough.
But one day they realize that none of these things mean anything.
God, their Creator, was just smiling down on them and gave them their season.
Soon they realize that love is the greatest thing on earth.
And Jesus always held it out to them.
Though, in their blindness they could only see the “stuff.”
But now they realize His blessings never fade,
And the Eternal One is the One who gave.
His Only Begotten Son so that they would have a never fading prize,
Eternal Life and a place in Heaven, and the privilege to see Him face to face, and walk by His side.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

This message would be amiss if I did not mention my mother and brother and other loved ones who died.
I still miss them, however, within my memory and heart they still abide.
There are fathers, husbands, wives, daughters, sons, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neighbors and friends whose time came.
And although Jesus, in mercy, knew we would never be the same.
Gave us grace to live, and keep on going, because He’s Our Unfailing Friend.
He took their places in our lives—He’s Our Mother, Father, Spouse, Son, Daughter, Brother, Sister,
Brother, Aunt, Grandmother, Grandfather, Neighbor and Friend until the end.
“There just ain’t nobody like Jesus!” the old woman from the South shouted out.
No, there isn’t anybody like Jesus—that is true without a doubt.
And Jesus will come and make all things new and rectify the wrongs.
That is why the redeemed of the ages, from every nation, will be able to sing a brand new song:
“Worthy, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive Honor and  Glory and Power Forevermore!”
Even so….come, Lord Jesus!—Written 12/19/09

See more Christian poetry at the Christian Poetry page at path2prayer.com

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“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the LORD,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.—Ps. 24:3-5

In my library are many books on preparing for the Holy Spirit. Some, like James McConkey’s Three-Fold Secret of the Holy Spirit, are wonderful. There is probably no subject more important and yet one which is so little understood in many ways.

God sent me something which clarifies the subject from my friend James Ash who is working for God as a mission pilot in Guyana. I hope you will read, ponder and pray, for his thoughts are right on target.

Here is an excerpt:

“Around midnight that night, while we were sleeping, without warning the sky opened up and dumped on us for about an hour solid, giving us almost 1000 gallons of fresh rain water. If you’ve ever heard the sound of heavy rain on zinc, you know that it is absolutely deafening. It was like music to my ears!

As we were lying in bed listening to rain drops thundering on zinc, the Lord spoke quietly to my mind about the Latter Rain.

Just before Jesus returns to this earth, God is going to send a spiritual rain shower to drench this earth (Joel 2:28,29). Only those who have been cleansed from sin, emptied of self, connected to the word, and standing upright, will be able to receive the Holy Spirit when it is poured out.”

Read the rest of his note at the Mission Guyana page at path2prayer.com.

There are also many quotes on the need and work of the Holy Spirit at path2prayer.com.

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“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” James 5:14,15

I was sent the following testimony from someone who was subscribing to the path2prayer.com newsletter, and thought it might encourage others.

Notice that she found someone to agree with her. On this note, Charles Spurgeon, the famous British Preacher stated the following:

“United prayer is useful inasmuch as God has promised extraordinary and special blessings in connection with it: “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” [Matthew 18:20]. “If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven” [Matthew 18:19]. God asks for agreement, and, once the saints agree, he pledges himself that the prayer of his agreeing ones shall be answered. Why, see what accumulated force there is in prayer, when one after another pours out their passionate desires; when many seem to be tugging at the rope; when many seem to be knocking at mercy’s gate; when the mighty cries of many burning hearts come up to heaven. When, my beloved, you go and shake the very gates of heaven with the powerful battering-ram of holy passion, and sacred insistence, then will the kingdom of heaven forcefully advance. When first one, and then another, and yet another, throws their whole soul into the prayer, the kingdom of heaven is conquered and the victory is very great indeed.

“As I was sitting for a little while and thinking over this text I thought of the accumulated love of God which there is in a prayer-meeting, because God loves every one of his children. There is so much love for one, and here is another, and there is so much love for him, and then, if God’s love to one of his people is a reason for answering his requests, if there are ten present, there is ten times the reason; and if there is a thousand present then surely there must be a thousand times the force of love to move our Heavenly Father to grant the accumulated desires of the assembly.

“The prayer-meeting is an institution which ought to be very precious to us, and to be cherished by us as a Church, for to it we owe everything. When our comparatively little chapel was all but empty, was it not a well-known fact that the prayer-meeting was always full? And when the Church increased, and the place was scarcely large enough, it was the prayer meeting that did it all. When we then met at Exeter Hall, we were a praying people, indeed; and when we entered into an even larger arena, the Surrey Music-hall, what cries and tears went up to heaven for our success! And so it has been ever since. It is in the spirit of prayer that our strength lies; and if we lose this, the hair will be cut off from Samson’s head, and God’s Holy Church will become weak as water and though we, as Samson did, go and try to shake ourselves as at other times, we shall hear the cry, “The Philistines are upon you,” and our eyes will be put out, and our glory will depart, unless we continue mightily and earnestly in prayer.”

So spoke Charles Spurgeon. I hope we will all spend more time praying.

Here is the testimony:

I have a miracle son by the name of Matthew. He was born 14 years after an older son and is a real miracle since I had complications with his birth, which necessitated a life-saving emergency caesarean section at the beginning of the 7th month. The doctors were concerned about the baby being so tiny, but I responded that they needed to do what they needed to do, and that God would take care of the rest.

Matthew did well and was able to be taken out of the incubator by the 3rd week. After 2 days, however, he stopped breathing and landed in ICU because his lungs were underdeveloped. He was only 1.5KG after 5 days in ICU, and the doctor called my husband and I in, and told us there was nothing they could do.

I told the doctor that I was praying for Michael, and believed that God would raise him up. The doctor actually agreed that the only remedy was prayer. I don’t know why I used the word “raise” but I know I did not say, “heal.” This was on a Saturday. I chose to go to church on Sunday and afterward just relaxed at home. Monday I went to the hospital and chatted with my son and told him he was called Matthew because he was a gift from God. His 2nd name is Caleb, and I told him that I want to trust God the way Caleb did, and that he (Matthew) did not need all the tubes that were being used with him in the ICU since God was going to raise him up. The next day I returned to the Hospital and found there was still no change.

That night we had prayer at the church and I asked one of the ladies to agree with me for a miracle, and PRAISE God the next day when I went to the hospital’s ICU, I found his cot empty, which caused me to initially freeze! But a nurse soon came to me smiling, asking, “Do you know what your son did last night? I responded, “No. Please tell me.” She proceeded to tell about how Michael had pulled out all the tubes and had been breathing on his own, that he no longer needed the extra help to breath.

The doctor acknowledged that a miracle had taken place.

Matthew is a healthy teenager now serving the Lord and I am happy to say was baptized by immersion two weeks ago at a children’s camp.

You can learn more about prayer at the intercessory prayer link at path2prayer.com. Please write me at path2prayer@gmail.com to subscribe to the newsletter.

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