Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer

Read about A. W. Tozer

April 26

Prayer: Be Patient

Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in
prayer.
--Romans 12:12

Think of the kernels of grain, the seed, that the farmer plants in
the ground in the fall of the year. How patient the farmer must be!
Throughout the long, cold winter the seed is dormant. There is no
evidence at all that it is there--covered by the cold earth itself.
The snows come and go. The ground freezes and thaws. Does the
farmer lie awake at night worrying that those seeds he placed in
the ground may be ineffective? He does not. He knows that spring
will come!

And in due course, the sunshine of March or April warms the air.
Spring rains water the ground. The farmer knows then that it will
not be long until green shoots suddenly break out from their
covering of earth. And in their own time, great waving fields of
grain are ready for the harvest. The farmer's faith in the seed he
planted is fully justified.

Likewise, God wants us to be patient with every prayer and
petition we sincerely send up to that heavenly altar. Our praying
done in the Spirit cannot be ineffective. It is as though God is
saying to us: "You have planted the seed. You have prayed for My
will to be done and for My kingdom to come on earth.... The
effective prayers of my son, Jesus, will join with the effective
prayers of righteous men and women. Be patient and put your trust
in Me, day by day!" Jesus Is Victor!, 122.

"Lord, I'm tempted to jot down, 'Give me that patience, and give
it to me now!' That's so typical of our hurried mind-set. Change
that mind-set for me today, Lord, and give me a patient,
steadfast faith, with a willingness to wait for the harvest.
Amen."

Praying on Behalf of Others

April 24, 2008

Praying on Behalf of Others

By Robert H. Schuller

"Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." – Acts 12:5

I was taught in seminary, "Never assume that a person who is in a death coma is incapable of hearing. They probably just can't respond."

The call came that Stanley Reimer, a beloved friend and a beautiful elder on our church board, was on his way to the hospital with a heart attack. "He may not live until they get him to the hospital," I was told.

A fast drive to the hospital. "He's still alive," they told me when I arrived. "He's in intensive care."

As I stepped into Stanley's room, his doctor drew back from the bed, dropped his head and said, "He's alive – but probably not for long, Reverend Schuller." Without another word the doctor left.

"Stanley," I spoke softly, but strongly, my lips only inches from his ear. "Stanley, it's Dr. Schuller. I've come to ask God to save your life! Stanley, I telephoned the church. Countless prayers are being sent to God right now for you. Stanley, you had a twenty-minute cardiac arrest. You're hurt – badly. But you will recover, Stanley!"

Tears filled his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He heard me! "I hear you, Stanley! Your tears are speaking when your lips cannot. You heard me!" More tears came – his and mine.

In a matter of hours, Stanley's eyes opened. Speech – slurred but understandable – returned! He recovered, not completely, but enough to live, laugh, talk, and pray joyful prayers for another ten years. And he never forgot that day when the miracle of new life was given by God in answer to others' prayers on his behalf.

Intercessory prayer is where our faith in a living, loving God grows and glows.

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Thank You, God, for the people in my life who have stood in the gap and prayed for me when I didn't even know I needed it. You have sustained and protected me through others' prayer. Use me to do the same. Amen.

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