THE SWEET AROMA OF PRAYER!

THE SWEET AROMA OF PRAYER!

1 Peter 3:12

12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:

Rev 5:8

8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

           I have an old prayer list which I checked this morning to see how things were going. I discovered that a young girl had been cured of cancer, another had a dramatic change of attitude and a difficult administrative situation had been resolved. These changes we call answers to prayer.

           His ears are open to our prayers. In fact prayer seems more important to God than to us. He loves to hear our prayers! They are sweet perfume in his nostrils. The altar of incense in the ancient Tabernacle was a symbol of the prayers of God’s people.

"Prayer is like the dove that Noah sent forth, which blessed him not only when it returned with an olive-leaf in its mouth, but when it never returned at all.” Robinson's Job. (from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dear Lord, I thank you that your ears are open unto my prayers. Forgive me of my prayerlessness. AMEN

THE MINISTRIES OF THE LOCAL CHURCH!

THE MINISTRIES OF THE LOCAL CHURCH!

Heb 2:12

I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

           The word Church is used in our English Bible about 68 times. It is translated from ekklesia, a compound Greek word which means a “called out assembly.” Its first mention deals with rules for disciplining an unruly member in Matthew 18:17 in which “telling it to the church” is the final court of appeals.

           The Church functions as the vehicle for all of God’s projects and programs. If you were to grab a Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and trace the path of those 68 references, you would find that the church is the source of worship, outreach and evangelism, missionary endeavor, and the response to social needs. The church is all those things.

           The person who begins to withdraw from the Lord usually begins by withdrawing from His Church. Maybe it is not a complete abandonment of the place of worship but rather a retreat to a level of involvement that feels safer to the one walking away. Although most think that no one will notice, it is very noticeable indeed. Both your growth and your shrinking are easily seen. It’s called fruit.

Eph 3:21

21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

THE GREAT RICHES OF PEACE!

THE GREAT RICHES OF PEACE!

Eccl 4:6

6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

          Two handfuls are not necessarily better than one. It all depends upon what is in the hands! Through the years I have had the opportunity to dispose of a lot of stuff – for that is just what you have to do with stuff. That’s why so many of us are labeled “consumers.” We consume and dispose of stuff.

          The quietness of which Solomon speaks is not inactivity but rest of spirit. It is easy to see life as a series of troubles but that is probably not the case. My life has been a life of peace punctuated here and there with intense excitement. I strive for peace. I preach so that others might know and enjoy peace. Find peace and buy it up!

Prov 10:22

22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Dear Lord, thank you for the peace I enjoy today. AMEN