Sabbath: Prayer: The Heartbeat of Revival
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 1:4, 8, 14; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; Matt. 18:19-20; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Ps. 50:23.
Memory Text: “ ‘If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!’ ” (Matthew 7:11, NKJV).
God moves powerfully as His people pray. Alfred Lord Tennyson was certainly correct when he said, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” The great revivals throughout Scripture were bathed in prayer. The Old Testament records the intercession of the patriarchs and prophets as they sought for revival. Moses, David, and Daniel petitioned the Almighty for power. The book of Acts reveals New Testament believers on their knees storming heaven, seeking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ prayer life reveals a constant dependence on His heavenly Father. The gospels give us glimpses of the source of His spiritual power. It was on His knees alone with the Father that the Savior received His greatest strength.
“A revival need be expected only in answer to prayer.”-Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 121. During this week’s lesson, we will explore the role that prayer played in some of the great revivals in the Bible.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 13.
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This is so true. If Christ who was perfect saw the need and took full advantage of it(prayer), how much more we sinners need to do the same. Keeping the lines of communication and our hearts open to God through prayer is indeed our spiritual vitamin.....it certainly will strengthen and revive us....amen
Prayer is the master key for every lock situations and problems. Let Us try all that we can to live by it, (prayer), via the help of the Holy Spirit. Prayer gives Us comfort, courage and strengthen our faith in God.
We dont bring revival, we pray and receive it. Seems like there is no revival from God for us, and it's because we bring our terms of revival. When we will be praying in receiving mode, then revival will be given to us as a gift of buying for free burnished gold, sight and white garment.
Revelation 22:9 We worship You. Thank you, Jesus Christ for the Truth Gospel. Wow! about Great Controversy Battles Between Christ and Satan, Between Good and Evil. Wow! Amen. Awesome Holy Bible Truth Gospel Truth Spirit of Truth AMEN. Happy Sabbath smile
Amen sister! That is truly a great book! It is inspired. I believe everyone should read it.
Let us truly seek God, we will find Him. These lessons are so good am sure they will keep the people of God on the right track. We have to pray, pray, pray! And believe God for his promises.
He will hear us and send us “true revivel” the church of God need it! Jesus is coming soon.
God is so good to me, and He is good to all who call on His name.
Blessed be the Name of our God and Father who has giving us all spiritual blessing in his Son who has made us holy and blameless in His present in love according to the Merit of his atoning blood sacrifice in our behalf to atone for our transgression of the Law of God and His righteousness which is credited and shared with us thru the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin .
Ideed we can't depend on our human strengh for revival
but only through prayer and believe that our Lord Jesus Christ has answered our prayers. God is the only the greatiest hope for our true Revival. Amen!
Prayer is the key to the heart of God. Satan trembles when we kneel before our maker so let us keep the prayer line open and study to show ourselves approve.
With this week's lessons I have begun to ask myself several questions that concern prayer because for prayer to be effective we need to know what to pray for. The questions are these in no particular order:
1. What does it mean to be an Adventist Christian?
2. Is being an Adventist any different than belonging to any other denomination?
3. What should revival look like in our church and would it look any different in any other Christian church?
These questions are important because we need a goal, a purpose for praying. Therefore, the real question we need to ask ourselves is what should that goal be in light of the subject of revival?
Question 3; people becoming more interested in witnessing to others, increase in effective prayer, the fruits of the spirit manifested in and identified in individuals as they interact with each other.
It seems to me that Christ gave us a "purpose for praying."
First of all, in the message to Laodicea, He is asking to "come in," and that means we need to pray that the Holy Spirit will move us to allow Christ into our lives. (Rev 3:18-20)
And then Christ asks us to "buy of Him" faith and love, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and His robe of righteousness. These serve to focus our prayers. Christ said He is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask than a Father is willing to give bread to His hungry child. (Luke 11:13) But we need to ask!
Yes I agree Inge, that certainly is the message of Rev 3 which gives the base reasons why we are lukewarm. While that is true, it can be applied universally to any Christian group, however, as a denomination we have been brought together for a purpose that is somewhat different than other protestant denominations with a message that is quite a bit different in many respects. Our mission is a mission of witness that is done through both personal modeling and verbal communication but it goes beyond a demonstration of love which is common among all Christians. Some of what we have to share includes a more meaningful understanding of biblical doctrines including subjects concerning our understanding of eschatology (end things). In short we have a very comprehensive message to bear that is briefly summarized in the three angels' messages.
To me it is the proclamation of that comprehensive message that should occupy a major part of our prayer life. Along that line I have been rereading George Knight's book "The Apocalyptic Vision and the Neutering of Adventism" (ISBN 978-0-8280-2385-6). I think he has something to say to the church in that book and that we need to understand what he saw was happening to our church. As the back cover of the book says, "George Knight considers this small book to be the most important of his career" and I agree to a large extent that it certainly could be.
Sometimes, Inge, I think my mouth is quicker than my mind so I need to clarify some things. I think you make a very valuable point that for those in the Laodicean condition the first need is to feel a need which is the basis of the Laodicean message, in that I think you are absolutely correct. Like all the churches in Revelation the conditions stated are general concerning the church of that period in history and of the one at that location during the first century. It doesn't say that all are in that condition; there will always be those that are within the inner circle of disciples and much closer to Christ than the majority and for those there are other priorities.
What I was considering were questions concerning our mission as a church and what we should be praying about in relation to it. As many people have commented on so far Jesus prayed about His mission and for those He was in contact with. The same goes for the disciples at Pentecost and those of the Millerite movement. They were mission focused rather than self focused. I guess that is what bothers me most because I already know how bad I am. I see my condition every minute of every day - no one needs to point that out to me as David said, "For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me" (Ps. 51:3 NKJV).
Once a person gets beyond the point of seeing his need then I believe other things become more important and to me our part in the great controversy should be at the top of the list. To me that is the most important thing and I believe that the Apostles and disciples of Jesus along with Ellen White thought the same way.
"Re" is a prefix. The Spanish word 'vive' comes from the verb 'vivir', which means 'to live'. So "Re-vive" would be for us to rediscover that new birth experience that bought us into the faith to begin with.
Thank you so much Todd for reminding us to remember our rebirth.
As I meditated on mine all the miracles that happened in my life came back to the surface. That is the miracle of the constant communication I had with Jesus as He continued to show me His love and directed me where to walk in His path as I was receiving His life. This lasted for 6 months!
I was labeled the fanatic. Some Christians told me I was so heavenly minded that I was no earthly good. I now wonder if that is what a normal Christian should be like who walks in the Spirit?
I followed Jeremiah 17:5-8 early on, which teaches us not to trust in what men say but only what God says. I did not hear anything in church that was against the Spirit until someone started to teach how we will always have to struggle with sin because no one is perfect, and that those who they aren't sinning were full of pride. They backed it up with 1 John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”
Silly me. I listened to the man but didn’t search out the Holy Spirit’s guidance and started to confess made-up sins. Then sin crept up and I became the “wretched woman.” Romans 7:24
I thank God that not long after that He lead me to understand that if I walk with Him, He will never fails in my trust in Him for righteousness. The unfortunate thing is that every now and then I start to struggle against sin and fail the fight until I remember to seek for Him in my life. I think this may be what is meant by going through the fire.
I found only one way to be righteous. Keep out of the fleshly sinful man and in the Holy Spirit within where the righteousness and living Jesus if found.
A heartbeat is define as: A vital force or driving impulse . The heart pumps blood around the body that is essential for one's existence. Hence a heart beat is significant. Our lesson places prayer as the heartbeat of revival.
As representatives of the Creator, we need to have that connection through prayer. We are reminded through Mark 1:35 and Luke 5:16 that prayer was crucial in Jesus' ministry while he was incarnate (on the earth). It is no wonder that we need to adopt the same practice as did Christ - the Author and Finisher of our faith. I hope as we go through this quarter that we will improve our prayer life - more prayer more power.
Let us all submit and let prayer be the heartbeat to our revival - revival is not just for NY13/ for the moment but needs to be ongoing as we drink from the fountain of life though Christ. Prayer is essential our dialogue with God as we seek His guidance through this world. We many times are unsure what to do , where to go. However, constant communion with God is integral for our existence and eventually aids in where we shall spend eternity. Outside of God we are lost souls. There have been many times in my life that a consultation with the Omnipotent has saved the day - His intervention has been well timed and highly appreciated by me. I have prayed asking for guidance to give the right responses in certain situations. Brethren, it pays to have the communication line open always with God.
HUMILIATION HAS HEAVENLY BENEFITS
By Celeste A. Davio
(SDA Sabbath School Study dated 7/6/13)
Reference found from site: Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, Book 1, pp. 121
“Our heavenly Father is more willing to give His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him, than are earthly parents to give good gifts to their children. But it is our work, by confession, humiliation, repentance, and earnest prayer, to fulfill the conditions upon which God has promised to grant us His blessing.”
I was surprised when I saw in Ellen’s comments on this lesson study included being humiliated as part of our work. This stirred the Spirit within me. As I search it out, I can see the value that can come from humiliations. Humiliations should humble us, but many times it draws out pride which wants to defend our honor. Pride will try to excuse our actions, but never can correct it. Humility has a value which allows us to see ourselves for what we are, which is totally corrupt and in need of Christ in our lives. What we Christians need to know is that Christ cannot help us unless we seek to know Him through His Holy Spirit who should be living within those who believe. In last week’s Sabbath School it was asked “What made the Laodicea’s lukewarm?” (Rev. 3:14-21) My answer was that perhaps they had not let the Holy Spirit living within them do His work.
Since Christ gave me a heart to embrace an opportunity to see my faults, seeing them doesn’t hurt anymore. I already know that my faults lie within a corrupted self, and have accepted that fact; but I have Christ within me who can walk me out of all of them as I seek to walk in Him.
I've taken prayer time to sit or kneel, close my eyes, and pray, rattling off all my concerns for myself and others. Please help so and so with their problem; Please keep me free from sin; Please Heal my friend; etc., but oftentimes they are dry words said to keep a commitment to pray. I find prayer is full and refreshing when it flows like living water in my soul to the Father. This doesn't come by following a law to make time to pray. This comes in my life as I make an effort to connect to His life within me. Then I find myself in prayer as I see things happening around me, or hear of a brother or sister's need, or find I need help in what I am doing. Not only does prayer become constant, it feels as real as it is. I think this is what the bible means in Ephesians 6:18 New Century Version (NCV)
"Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up. Always pray for all God’s people."
Aloha:
I need to express my thank you to all who make comments and their thoughts; I so need all your input. I want to thank Todd for the REVIVAL thought from the Spanish language. Wow! I needed that light.
Again, my prayer is that we all come together and look and examine our own ways? Are we doing what JESUS left for us to follow--pray always- get up early and spend time with HIM.
May GOD bless each one out there. "May we each one reach one" Let the WORLD know who wee are and why we are here.!!!!!!!!!!! The Remnant!!!!!!!!!!
Psalms 51:10&11 See you in HEAVEN
Early morning prayer. I like that thought. Thank you Z. Woodward! Aloha.
I know I should pray more but I run out of things to say in about 5 minutes. I guess I can say the same things over again in a different way, but what would be the point of that. How many times can I say "Lord Jesus, send a revival into my life, come into my heart, let me walk with you"?
Then it struck me that I was being exceedingly arrogant about my prayers. Why should God be listening to me manufacturing words when he had so much to say back to me? That was the bit about prayer that I was seriously missing. For prayer to be the heartbeat of revival we need to think of prayer as a time to listen as well. It is a conversation and can take place anywhere. Prayer in the morning and evening, kneeling beside your bed is meaningless ritual if all you are doing is saying the same you said the time before (and thinking that it is freezing cold and I would like to get right back into bed) God wants a more interesting conversation than hearing what he heard last night again. And he is not all that interested in monologues about how unworthy we are, or instructions to bless the unnamed poor and needy.
I think that some of us are a bit scared to pray a listening prayer because maybe God will tell us to say and do things that we do not want to say and do. Things like - go and talk to that person who has been irritating you and make things right; change your diet a bit because you are killing yourself; read that passage in Job about trusting God even when you feel as though you hate Him.
When we learn that prayer is something we live; not the morning/evening ritual; or the spiritual shopping list; or the insurance policy we take out just before we travel; or the olde English lofty word 3 minute episode of a church service, then prayer will become our heartbeat and the heartbeat for revival.
Maurice, I have been reluctant to comment on what you say about prayer because it seems to me that you are presenting a lot of beneficial things that we should be thinking about. However, I would like to ask a simple question in spite of all the good things you say:
How does God communicate with us?
I said simple but is it? To me the vast majority of what God says comes through Scripture and if we aren't listening to that then we are going to have problems with everything else.
Certainly there will be times when God speaks to us in other ways but the text, "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20 NKJV) is considering those multitude of other means of communication. Whatever is said to us in any way must conform to what is written. We are told in many texts to test what we are being told. To me the one that speaks to our discussion best is, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 Jn. 4:1 NKJV). But then how are we to test if we don't have a reference to test against?
It was on this very point that the Roman Catholic Church got itself in trouble. They tended to rely on the spirit, whatever that was to them, to guide the church more than the sure word of the Bible. They didn't discard the Bible altogether but they did restrict its use and thought that the clergy "had the truth" when in fact in many cases they were following another spirit rather than the holy one.
Because of these things I am rather cautious about saying too much about the other ways God communicates to us. If we are going to do anything about listening to the Spirit let us be like those at Berea who accepted everything on condition of its alignment with Scripture.
Tyler, you are right that communication is complicated, and when we try and create communication models they are often simplistic. Nowhere is this more apparent than on services such as Facebook and other social network forums where people talk past one another and never really listen. (I could use SSNET as an example but I better not )
With respect to prayer, there are several aspects to the communication that have to be considered.
1) Ourselves (obviously)
2) God (obviously)
3) The Church
4) Our community of believers
Each of these stakeholders has a part to play in the communication process. It is when we get our perspective of who is involved out of whack that we start to have problems. Here are a few examples:
1) The worst aspect of some of the so-called Spiritual Formation movement is that it concentrates on self. Yes I know that they ask you to concentrate on some particular thought about Christ and so on, but it is all too often about what happens to self.
2) Some churches think that prayer has to be formalised. There is a specific way to pray to God that is effective. If you do not use that form, then it does not work. That may be OK for the Taxation Office, but God does not work like the tax man (Thank goodness for that!)
3) Some communities see prayer as a sort of ritual with hands raised and expressions of profound emotion, sort of like line dancing on steroids. The issue here is that the experience is more based on feeling of the moment than a lifestyle. I do not have a problem with expression of emotion but when it is the measure of success we have a problem.
Each of these situations are a distortion of the communication process. A prayer life that combines solitude with community with church, acting as the eyes and ears and hands of God and reaching out to the unchurched, takes on board the fullness of communication and is less likely to be caught on one of the distortions.
Are there any issues for the Seventh-day Adventist Church? Yes there are! Sometimes we are too easily persuaded that we have got it wrong and that we need to try something else. Rather I think we need to grow what we have. At an individual level too many of us think of prayer as a shopping list, rather than a conversation between friends.
Maurice, may I humbly suggest that the reason, "we get our perspective of who is involved out of whack" is because our understanding of Scripture is out of whack. Every one of your examples of perverted prayers happens because of a twisted misunderstanding of prayer in the Bible (each of those groups can cite scripture in support of their practice but it is usually an exclusionary understanding that cherry picks, 2 Pet 3:16).
My concern here is that we tend to fanaticism and there are a lot of people out there that will discard Bible study in favor of just listening to the spirit. I think the two should come together.
If I may, I'd like to present a simple answer to a "simple question,"
God communicates with us in a number of ways:
* Through the written Word, the Bible
* Through His created world
* Through the circumstances of life
* Through other believers, including the church body
* Through our minds and consciences. This is primary, because even the Bible cannot communicate His will, unless the channel of our mind is tuned to Him.
If prayer is "talking to God as to a friend," then, surely, listening needs to be part of prayer.
I would also like to add that prayer does not just happen when we are on our knees. God intends it to be an ongoing conversation. That's what I believe Paul was talking about when He said to "pray without ceasing." (1 Thess 5:17)
I was not really arguing about the communication of the Bible per se, but Tyler I can see where you are coming from. Rather I was referring to our prayer life and that the listening aspect of it was listening to what others were saying. All too often our prayers are shopping lists of what we want from God, rather than us saying to God, I am ready to be used by you; what do you want from me. God needs us to be his hands and his ears. If someone is praying for bread then someone need to buy or make the bread to fulfil than need. God does not produce bread ex nihilo when listening practical Christians can serve him.
You quite rightly raise the issue of Biblical communication but that is another issue. I have not addressed that issue. The Bible can be severely ministerpreted as we have seen so often. I have not suggested that some mystical spirit listening will solve all the problems of interpretation. My view is that Biblical interpretation where we do need to collaborate as a community of believers and share, discuss and debate what we have studied. I believe the church has done that in the past and that has been one of the strengths of the Adventist Movement. We do not rely on private (spirit listening) interpretations, but accept the role that our community of believers plays in developing our interpretation. That does not eliminate the risk but it does reduce it.
I totally agree with what all have said more so on the contribution for Davio.
Indeed we need to created a fertile ground for us to 'jump start' a revival in our individual lives. God has given us conditions on which revival will bear fruits. First we need to acknowledge and accept Him by faith in our lives as our Maker, Sustainer, Provider etc, How? by being Obedient,humble, repentance. Then only then can we begin to offer heartbeat prayers that will move heaven. There are two sides that we have to choose. The side of God or the side of the devil.The side we choose, the side we need to glorify, period. In fact, the side we choose has its own rules of engagement and the rewards thereof.
God bless us all as we endeavour through His power to do His biding.
I don't understand what it means to receive an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I see those evangelical pentacostal churches claiming that only when you receive the "gift of tongues" or you fall down or jump up and down screaming (!!!) is when you receive the HS. I doubt they are right, but I don't know what it actually is.
You're right Kay Dee. Receiving the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with the things you mentioned. When I received Him in 1975, the only thing that happened was that communication with Him became apparent. It was as if a dead spirit came alive.
James 2:26
"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
I understand that when we receive the Holy Spirit, it is God waking up our spirits and moving in. In that we are reborn. Not of flesh but of spirit and truth. It provides the means for God to communicate with us so He can guide us in the truth.
John 14:26
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
Keep seeking, and Jesus guarantees that you will find Him.
Luke 11:9 [Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking]
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.