Throughout the Bible, there is an emphasis on specificity in prayer. Prayer is not some vague longing of the soul. It presents God with specific requests. Jesus prayed specifically for His disciples. The apostle Paul prayed very specifically for the Ephesian, Philippian, and Colossian Christians. He prayed for his young colleagues such as Timothy, Titus, … Continue reading –>
Intercessory prayer is a mighty weapon in this battle between good and evil that we call “the great controversy”. One of the clearest revelations of this struggle is in Daniel chapter 10. You will recall that the prophet Jeremiah predicted that the Jews would be in bondage to the Babylonians for seventy years. At the … Continue reading –>
Intercessory prayer is biblical. Throughout his ministry, Paul prayed for the new converts in the churches that he established through his evangelistic ministry. Paul believed that something happened when he prayed that would not happen if he did not pray. Although he was separated from those he loved, he recognized that they could be united … Continue reading –>
Read Luke 3:21, Luke 5:16, and Luke 9:18. What do these texts tell you about the relationship between Jesus’ prayer life and His effectiveness in ministry? Jesus’ life was one of constant divine communion with His Father. At the time of His baptism when He launched His Messianic ministry, He prayed for divine power to accomplish heaven’s purpose. … Continue reading –>
Compare Revelation 12:7-9, Ephesians 6:12, and 2 Corinthians 10:4. How do these passages influence our understanding of intercessory prayer? The Bible lifts the veil between the seen and the unseen world. There is a struggle between good and evil, between the forces of righteousness and the forces of darkness, between Christ and Satan. In this cosmic conflict, God … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Rev. 12:7-9, Eph. 6:12, Heb. 7:25, Eph. 1:15-21, Dan. 10:10-14, 1 John 5:14-16. Memory Text: “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16, NKJV). The New Testament church members felt their need of prayer. “And when … Continue reading –>
Filipino Family Transformed By Steven Dragoo A lonely literature evangelist walked the dusty hot streets of Butuan City, Philippines. All day he toiled, yet he sold nothing. This was his only source of income, so he was a little discouraged. But he determined to knock on one more door. As he approached, he prayed and … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Gospel in Samaria”, pages 103-111, in The Acts of the Apostles. All around us people are seeking for the things of eternity. As Jesus so aptly put it, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matt. 9:37, NKJV). The problem was not with the harvest. With eyes divinely … Continue reading –>
The book of Acts is filled with stories of how the disciples took advantage of providential opportunities for the advancement of God’s kingdom. From one end of the book to the other, we read fascinating accounts of the early church and how it grew, even despite the challenges it faced both internally and externally. In 2 … Continue reading –>
Jesus was a master at dealing with difficult people. By both His words and actions, He demonstrated acceptance. He listened sensitively to their concerns, raised questions, and gradually revealed divine truths. He recognized the inner longing in the most hardened hearts and saw potential in the vilest sinners. For Jesus, no one was beyond the … Continue reading –>
