Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn
and welcome again to Issues and
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Answers. You know Jesus
said in Matthew 4:4 that man
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shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds
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from the mouth of God. If
the word of God is our spiritual
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nutrition, well then prayer
is our spiritual breath. This is
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how our soul breathes. Today
we are going to be talking about
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does prayer make a
difference in our children's
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lives, intercessory prayer.
Let me read a scripture in first
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Samuel and this is in chapter
12 verse 23. Samuel is writing
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and he says: "Moreover, as
for me, far be it from me that I
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should sin against the Lord
by ceasing to pray for you. "
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Have you been praying a
long time for your children
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and you feel like, Lord,
I'm ready to give up? You don't
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seem to be answering.
Don't give up, because you are
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sinning against the Lord; its
a lack of faith if you give up
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on praying for your children.
I am so excited to welcome
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back to our program
today Jerry and Janet Page.
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Thank you all so
much for coming back.
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It's our joy, thank you.
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Now Jerry you are the president
for the Central California
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Conference and that
is a weighty position.
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Are you saying
I'm overweight... No
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Well no, but I know that you've
got a lot of, it's a tremendous
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responsibility to be
a conference president.
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It reminds you to pray
because you can't do it.
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Amen, Amen. Janet, you're
the Women's Ministries director
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and the Prayer Ministries
coordinator, right? Right.
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Well, I know that you all have
a lot to say about praying for
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children, because we have talked
so much in the past, and I just
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want to jump right in this. Do
you believe, Jerry, (I know the
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answer to this, but for our
audience), do you believe that
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it really makes a difference
to pray for our children.
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We've seen it over and over and
over again, and all I know to do
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is just pray. People try to
say that answered prayer is a
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coincidence, but the more
you pray, the more you see God
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in specific, unique ways and we
know it's not coincidence. It's
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his hand working in mighty
ways. We pray about our work, we
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pray about the conference. We
see miracles all the time in a
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selection of people and finances
and institutions and all that,
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but nothing matters to my
heart and to most parents'
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hearts as much as our own
children. I have a son, I have
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two sons, but my youngest son
I guess had some of my genes in
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him and was experimenting
in those late teen years. He is
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a good kid, he has always
been a kid that was going to do
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everything 120 percent,
you know. He was vegan early
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on he could ride the most miles
in the bikathon, you know and
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then he was going to be a rock
climber and get up El Capitan
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earlier than anyone else and
all this. It's been his style
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to do everything extreme at
least. But he was experimenting.
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We didn't know all that he was
doing till later on, but things
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kept popping up, symptoms that
kind of worried us and concerned
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us. Then I guess it was
after his junior year...
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Now when you say experimenting
are you talking about
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experimenting with some of
the leisure drugs that they have
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out here or are talking about...
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Well, we don't even know to this
day all what he was doing, but
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yeah, he was running with
some kids and doing some things
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that worried us and he
just wasn't... On the outside it
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looked like he was still going
to church and serving God, but
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we know more and more that
he was doing some other things
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and you know concerned us, but
most of all he didn't seem to
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really have a hunger for the
word. He went on some mission
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trips and things, but wasn't
really seeming to be thriving
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in God and having a real
relationship, which eventually
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leads you away in the end and,
as I said in my own testimony.
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You know I was not understanding
my relationship with Jesus so
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I got real rebellious all
the time. So we were praying for
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him much. Every time we got
a chance with people we would
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pray for our sons. We do claim
those promises and I love to
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just go into late Isaiah. There
are just some beautiful promises
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there that have meant a
lot to me through the years.
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You know it says fear not for
I am with you, I will bring your
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descendants from the east, I
will gather you from the west.
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I will say to the north give
them up and to the south don't
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keep them back. In the next
chapter, Isaiah 44:3, 4 says
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that he will pour our his Spirit
on our descendants and His
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blessing on our offspring.
They will spring up like
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like grass and like willows
by the watercourses. You know
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Isaiah 49:25- I will contend
with him that contends with
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you. Train up a child in the
way he should go and when he is
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old he won't get away from the
training. I will bring it back
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to him. So if it happened in my
life and my parents prayed for
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me; but we were praying for
Zach. After his junior year, I
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guess, he had a girl come into
his life. It was a big explosion
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all of a sudden, one of
those things were and they're
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together. She seemed to
help him in some areas of
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experimentation, but
maybe not in some others.
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We liked her and they went
together for about three years,
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but again we didn't see him
really thriving in the Lord or
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getting involved in service.
He was only going to church
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sporadically so we were
concerned to say the least,
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they were going to get married.
We liked her and we don't say
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bad things about her, but we
just weren't sure it would be a
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good marriage. You know, there
were things there that worried
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us. So we thought, well this
is one of those things that is
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going to have to happen.
You pray, but God doesn't force
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everybody's will on everything,
so they would probably get
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married and then maybe have
trouble later on, there would
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pain, but we just
kept praying for Zach.
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But it was amazing. A couple
years ago after a meeting in
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the summer where something
happened dramatically right
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after that camp
meeting, and they broke up.
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In that experience, we saw
the power of God just working to
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free him to give him some
new opportunity to do things.
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Within a week or two, after the
initial pain that kind of went
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away for him, and he began
thinking-Now what do I really
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want to do with my life.
He began turning back to God.
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He said, "You know, I would
like to be on a youth evangelism
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team. If they could take me, it
wouldn't cost any money to spend
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a year out of
college and go with them. "
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So we just saw just saw
such dramatic changes in Zach.
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He got involved in preaching
a series of meetings in Africa
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that next spring and working for
young people. Since then he has
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now gone back to college.
He is taking theology and just
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in everything he thinks about
and does he is hungry for the
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Word. He is preaching and he is
interested in working for God.
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We know that is only
the beginning of the story.
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We keep praying for the kids all
during their lives. Our older
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son has had the same kind
of experience along in his life
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and we've seen him and
his wife just come into such a
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beautiful ministry for Christ.
We know that are an awful lot of
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people who maybe haven't seen
their kids come back yet, but
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we can tell stories over and
over of people who prayed 30,
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40, 50 years. We have one man
in our conference, his mother
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died a year or so ago. She
prayed for him for 40-some years
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and he was actually, I think, 70
or so, but right after Mom died
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he came back to Jesus and
has gone on mission trips.
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He's a real leader in the
conference. So, yes, don't
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give up praying. Because
God says when we pray he can do
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things that he can't do if
we don't pray. How it all works
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I don't understand but
that's what the word says.
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I want to just share a
promise with you if you have
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children. You know I am sitting
here thinking, your son, you,
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David Ascherick, Steve Wohlberg,
so many young men and young
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women who have turned away from
the Lord, even turned toward
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drugs. My own sister was drug
addict for 15 years, heroin and
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cocaine and it was a serious
thing. I prayed every day and
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I would claim two scriptures:
Psalm 129 verse 4: The Lord
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righteous. He has cut me
free from the cord of the wicked
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that binds me. And I would pray
cut her free from the cord of
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the wicked. And then, the
second scripture was Acts 26:18:
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that says that He will open
their eyes and turn them from
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darkness to light, from
the power of Satan to God, that
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they may receive forgiveness
of sins and an inheritance
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among those who are
sanctified by faith in Jesus
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Christ, and you know what, as
I prayed those 15 years I prayed
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for guardian and angels,
and would say, Lord send angels
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unaware if that is what it takes
to witness to her. You know
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she accepted the Lord, asked to
be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
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God delivered her overnight
and for 20 years she has been
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totally drug free
from the day that she
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surrendered to God. So, you
know, when everybody else was
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telling' me, give it up, she's
a lost cause, she will never
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after that long, she
will never turn back. She did.
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So Janet you've got two sons
and one grandbaby, a grandson
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right? What is his name? Daniel.
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Daniel. And he is a little doll.
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Daniel Duke. Ah! He
is absolutely adorable.
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The most precious
baby in the world.
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The most precious. Yeah. So I
know that you are doing a lot of
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intercessory prayer,
even now, for your baby boy.
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Yes, well before he was born.
One thing I would like to share
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about Jerry and I praying
together or to do this with a
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group when you pray together.
You get together with a group
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of people and most of us dread
the idea of getting together
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to pray, because you are going
to pray this long prayer, then
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he will pray this long prayer,
and then you get to me and I'm
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asleep by the time you get done,
it's so boring. What we found
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really meaningful, and prayer
can go on for hours doing this,
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and everybody enjoys it, is
we pray in sentence prayers.
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Like I will pray one subject in
just a few short sentences and
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then you might come in, or he
might come in and agree together
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with what I just prayed
and pray it also in a few short
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sentences and then someone...
You know it may go as God leads.
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You may pray about that subject
again, or start another subject
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like that. It's conversational;
you don't have to open and close
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it with Dear God... Amen
each time. It's a conversation
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between us with God and the
beautiful part is, too, if we
00:10:06.62\00:10:12.50
pray together, and I'll pray
everything I can think of so
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that you can pray next, it's
like you don't get time for the
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Holy Spirit to impress you
how to pray. Whereas if we pray
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conversationally in sentences it
gives us a chance to, you know,
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to, Lord what else
should I pray about; to let
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God impress you what is on
His heart and how he wants you
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to pray. So Jerry and I,
the only hobby we have, I guess,
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can we try to walk together,
but we spend the whole time
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praying. We pray a lot for our
church work in California, for
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our kids, just many things, but
we pray back and forth. (That's
00:10:47.65\00:10:50.95
right.) But even I did this
when my kids were little and
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they loved it. They
can take part in it easier.
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We do it while we are driving.
Of course, you keep your
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eyes open.
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Yes. Well, you know, I like
that because... you know this
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is one thing... you know
you and I are cut from the same
00:11:01.47\00:11:02.94
cloth. We just tell it like
it is. It can be boring if you
00:11:02.97\00:11:07.11
get in a group prayer where
people are praying long prayers
00:11:07.14\00:11:11.29
and it's 40 minutes and
two people have finished
00:11:11.32\00:11:13.77
praying in 40 minutes and it
is your turn and you're kind of
00:11:13.80\00:11:16.66
like, Ha! But I love that idea,
because I see that you would
00:11:16.69\00:11:20.40
give room for the
Holy Spirit to direct.
00:11:20.43\00:11:22.67
Do you remember the first time
we met with you here I talked
00:11:24.67\00:11:26.76
about my conversion and how
bitterness and resentment had
00:11:26.79\00:11:30.15
really caused a
separation between God and me?
00:11:30.18\00:11:34.35
Um, part of what happened was
my life was changed and it was
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because of people praying
for me that changed me there.
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My older son, he was a young
teenager then, came up to me
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after this all started happening
and God was moving on my life.
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I started spending time with God
every day. I let God take care
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of that bitterness in my life
and do what he told me to do
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there. My older son came up to
one day and he said "Mom, you've
00:11:52.41\00:11:56.41
changed. " He said, "Will you
teach me to know Jesus the way
00:11:56.44\00:11:59.40
you do now. And even
my younger boy who was
00:11:59.43\00:12:03.26
was a little bitty guy
then came up to me and he said,
00:12:03.29\00:12:05.16
"Mommy, you're so happy now.
Will you teach me to spend time
00:12:05.19\00:12:08.58
with Jesus like you
do. " And to see that
00:12:08.61\00:12:10.95
in my kids... You know, as
parents we see our kids doing
00:12:10.98\00:12:16.26
things that break our hearts
and we just know it's wrong.
00:12:16.29\00:12:19.71
It will destroy them,
Eventually it is going to cause
00:12:19.74\00:12:23.33
them heartache and pain, and
plus we are not sure, you know,
00:12:23.36\00:12:25.82
are they going to go to the
kingdom or they even going to
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want to.. So as parents
we feel we've got to be sad
00:12:26.87\00:12:31.06
around them and let them
know what they've done is wrong.
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What I learned is our kids know
what's wrong. We have raised
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them up and by the
time they get to that age of
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accountability, you know, and a
young adult, they don't need me
00:12:41.74\00:12:45.89
telling' them any more what's
right or wrong, because they
00:12:45.92\00:12:48.25
know and the Holy Spirit is
fully capable of telling them.
00:12:48.28\00:12:50.95
What they need is for me to
show them God's joy. (That's
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good.) (Yeah.) Our kids are so
needing to see God's aliveness
00:12:54.95\00:12:58.98
in us and his joy. Why
should they want my religion
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if they don't see
that I'm a happy Christian?
00:13:02.57\00:13:04.49
It needs to be modeled
is what you are saying.
00:13:04.52\00:13:06.95
Yeah, it needs to be that we
have that joyful relationship
00:13:06.98\00:13:09.53
with him. My younger boy, he
came... actually I was out of
00:13:09.56\00:13:12.00
town when it happened...
but he got suspended from school
00:13:12.04\00:13:14.45
for doing something that was...
I couldn't believe he did it;
00:13:14.48\00:13:19.84
I was shocked. It
was so embarrassing.
00:13:19.87\00:13:21.27
The nut doesn't fall too
far from the tree, does it?
00:13:21.74\00:13:23.62
Chuckling
00:13:23.65\00:13:24.62
So when I came back home
and he came home, I know he was
00:13:24.63\00:13:29.37
fully expecting me to lecture
him for what he'd done and to
00:13:29.40\00:13:32.63
scold him. But I had spent
time with God and in that time I
00:13:32.66\00:13:36.57
said, "Lord what is it about
me that would cause my son to do
00:13:36.60\00:13:39.42
what he did?" Because I
was so shocked at what had
00:13:39.45\00:13:43.20
happened. I tell you, don't
ask God that question if you
00:13:43.23\00:13:46.36
don't want to know. Because
he really let me know what it
00:13:46.39\00:13:49.65
was that I had done in modeling
to this kid that caused him to
00:13:49.68\00:13:53.40
do what he did. You know, I
wept before the Lord, it just
00:13:53.43\00:13:56.23
broke my heart. But when my
son came home and we met, he
00:13:56.26\00:14:00.56
was wondering what was going
to happen and I started to share
00:14:00.59\00:14:03.72
with him. I said, "Zach, I
went to God about this situation
00:14:03.75\00:14:07.15
that happened with you at
school," and I said, "I asked
00:14:07.18\00:14:09.19
God, 'What was it about me that
caused you to do it?' He said,
00:14:09.35\00:14:12.65
'You did?'" I said, "and God
told me and Zach I want to ask
00:14:12.68\00:14:15.66
you to forgive me for the bad
example I have been to you. "
00:14:15.69\00:14:18.90
I said, "God has forgiven
me and I need you to. I want to
00:14:18.94\00:14:21.77
be a right example to you,
so that you will know how much
00:14:21.80\00:14:24.80
God loves you and that it
is fun to be obedient to him. "
00:14:24.84\00:14:27.77
You know what that did: Instead
of causing my son to get angry
00:14:27.80\00:14:31.84
he was fighting back the tears.
We cannot go wrong... I can't
00:14:31.88\00:14:35.36
encourage our audience enough.
If they have a child that is not
00:14:35.40\00:14:38.85
in the Lord and they are
praying for them, they are
00:14:38.88\00:14:41.64
struggling, you know, what to
do. It may be they haven't done
00:14:41.68\00:14:44.99
anything wrong, but I would
encourage them to spend quality
00:14:45.02\00:14:48.29
time with God, maybe even
fasting and asking God, Lord
00:14:48.33\00:14:51.72
is there something about
me that has caused my son or
00:14:51.76\00:14:55.09
or daughter to not accept you,
to turn away from you, and let
00:14:55.12\00:14:58.23
God talk to them. I don't know
how it is with you, but I even
00:14:58.26\00:15:01.85
had it happen this week.
I'm reading God's word and just
00:15:01.88\00:15:04.74
enjoying that time with him
and God starts speaking. But I
00:15:04.77\00:15:07.60
don't want to hear what he
is saying and so I start reading
00:15:07.63\00:15:10.92
louder. I going to just keep
reading God's word; I'm going to
00:15:10.96\00:15:13.76
learn stuff here, and I'm
avoiding what God is trying to
00:15:13.79\00:15:17.12
say to me, something he wants
me to take care of or change
00:15:17.15\00:15:20.44
in my life. Do you do that?
00:15:20.48\00:15:22.57
Uh huh. There has been a time
or two, yes. That is why I'm
00:15:22.60\00:15:24.02
I am laughing so heartily.
00:15:24.05\00:15:25.56
You know what I have found,
too, Shelley; I even have an
00:15:25.60\00:15:27.69
an experience going on in my
life right now with a worker in
00:15:27.72\00:15:30.87
my area. You know, it is
hard to apologize, when someone
00:15:30.91\00:15:34.38
else is not reacting well to
us. If we spend with the Lord
00:15:34.42\00:15:37.41
usually he can show me
some- thing that I haven't done
00:15:37.44\00:15:40.36
enough like Jesus. I haven't
loved them like Jesus, I haven't
00:15:40.40\00:15:43.71
treated them according to
the golden rule at all the way I
00:15:43.74\00:15:46.98
I should have. So with the kids
I think that usually if we spend
00:15:47.01\00:15:50.52
time enough with God, we
can find something that we could
00:15:50.55\00:15:53.58
actually ask them to forgive
us for. I think it breaks down
00:15:53.61\00:15:57.53
the wall and allows them
to begin to bond with us again
00:15:57.57\00:16:01.42
and maybe want to ask forgive-
ness of us for some things. I'm
00:16:01.45\00:16:04.24
not talking about being phony
and fake with it but I'm just
00:16:04.28\00:16:06.88
saying asking God, "Have I
been like Jesus with my children
00:16:06.92\00:16:09.71
or with my
coworkers.. It is You know
00:16:09.75\00:16:12.47
it is. It opens the door and it
takes down that barrier of "I'm
00:16:12.50\00:16:14.94
better than you. "
00:16:14.97\00:16:15.94
Well, God started leading
me when they were young to ask
00:16:15.95\00:16:18.78
their forgiveness. If I
got irritated or impatient with
00:16:18.81\00:16:21.88
them, and I would think, well
I can't do that because what
00:16:21.92\00:16:24.69
they did was wrong and they'll
think it is okay what they did.
00:16:24.73\00:16:27.57
But God said, "No, I don't want
my children treated like that. "
00:16:27.61\00:16:30.64
So I started going to them and
saying that and saying, "Will
00:16:30.67\00:16:33.57
you forgive me. Jesus doesn't
want you treated like that.
00:16:33.61\00:16:36.44
Will you pray for Mommy to be
a better Mom. All that has done
00:16:36.47\00:16:40.54
has kept us close. Through
every stage in their life, you
00:16:40.58\00:16:44.25
know they want me to pray for
them and it kept us close and
00:16:44.29\00:16:47.86
and able to communicate.
00:16:47.90\00:16:48.87
We cannot go wrong
in obeying God's word,
00:16:48.88\00:16:51.64
Have you with your
own... I know you've got so many
00:16:51.67\00:16:54.65
stories on intercessory prayer
about children, but with your
00:16:54.68\00:16:58.01
own children, is there anything
that kind of stands out in your
00:16:58.05\00:17:01.34
mind that you were
praying for them for something?
00:17:01.38\00:17:03.83
One of the things: I was beside
myself, you know. What to for
00:17:03.86\00:17:07.80
Zach, because I wanted so much
for him to have a heart for God
00:17:07.83\00:17:11.68
I knew that he loved God
and accepted Him there wasn't
00:17:11.72\00:17:15.88
that passion. I started asking
God, "What do I need to do
00:17:15.92\00:17:19.30
different and how should I
pray?" and God would give me
00:17:19.34\00:17:22.69
scriptures, but the thing
that happened one day was, Zach
00:17:22.72\00:17:25.64
pointed out to me was "Mom,
I really don't appreciate your
00:17:25.67\00:17:29.78
or Dad's lecture prayers. I'm
going, lecture prayers! What is
00:17:29.82\00:17:33.32
is he talking about. Then I
realized what he was talking
00:17:33.36\00:17:36.47
about was before we would go out
the door in the morning, "Lord,
00:17:36.50\00:17:39.49
help Zach not to tailgate, help
Zach not to speed, help Zach
00:17:39.52\00:17:43.19
not to get another ticket, help
Zach not to have a car... you
00:17:43.23\00:17:45.60
know, these kinds of things
and he was taking it as our
00:17:45.64\00:17:49.07
lecturing him, which maybe
it was. I didn't think it about
00:17:49.11\00:17:52.14
it at the time. (Manipulation
00:17:52.17\00:17:58.16
prayers.) I started asking God,
how do I pray for him without
00:17:58.19\00:18:01.02
it coming across as a lecture?
As I kept asking God about this,
00:18:01.06\00:18:03.88
God said pray prayers of
blessing on him. Now I don't
00:18:03.91\00:18:07.93
hear God saying things. It
is just impressions. I want to
00:18:07.96\00:18:11.97
stress that because so many
people say well I don't hear
00:18:12.00\00:18:15.28
speaking. I'm convinced God's
yelling at us and we are not
00:18:15.32\00:18:18.92
listening, he really
is and we're not believing
00:18:18.95\00:18:22.48
it's Him. But he said, pray
prayers of blessing on him and
00:18:22.52\00:18:25.71
just that. So I started doing
that. I started hunting in my
00:18:25.75\00:18:28.34
Bible what I could bless
Zach with. Then before he would
00:18:28.38\00:18:30.61
leave or at night before he'd
go to bed, I'd start praying
00:18:30.64\00:18:32.84
prayers of blessings on
his life and you know what
00:18:33.94\00:18:36.56
happened? This kid, instead
of rushing out the door would
00:18:36.59\00:18:40.61
linger at the door waiting
for us to pray for him. It made
00:18:40.64\00:18:44.59
such a difference. I don't know
if you have read Roger Morneau's
00:18:44.63\00:18:46.60
books, Incredible Answers to
Prayer and then he got so much
00:18:46.63\00:18:50.43
response from that he wrote
More Incredible... and then a
00:18:50.46\00:18:53.57
third on, When You Need
Incredible... But in the
00:18:53.60\00:18:55.42
last chapter of that book
he talks about this couple who
00:18:55.45\00:18:59.80
said our son never calls us,
he never comes to see us, you
00:18:59.83\00:19:02.26
know, he's an adult, and he
doesn't want to have anything
00:19:02.29\00:19:06.50
to do with God and Roger told
them, he said, the next time
00:19:06.53\00:19:08.73
your son does call, do not talk
about God, do not talk about
00:19:08.76\00:19:12.26
religion, but be happy and ask
him about his life. Listen to
00:19:12.29\00:19:15.40
him and talk to him, don't
lecture him, don't scold him,
00:19:15.43\00:19:17.96
don't criticize or make digs at
him about the way he is living
00:19:17.99\00:19:20.94
his life. Just love him and try
to find something about his life
00:19:20.97\00:19:24.49
kid who only called about every
six month-I shouldn't say kid,
00:19:28.52\00:19:31.16
he was an adult-started calling
more often. Pretty soon he came
00:19:31.19\00:19:35.11
to visit, pretty soon he came
back home, pretty he started
00:19:35.14\00:19:37.72
coming back to
church and to God.
00:19:37.75\00:19:39.37
Praise the Lord. What is it
about it that we think sometimes
00:19:39.40\00:19:43.70
that we are the ones that are in
the cleaning up business. We're
00:19:43.73\00:19:47.52
the fishers of men. Jesus is
the one who is going to clean
00:19:47.55\00:19:51.13
them up ourselves.
00:19:51.16\00:19:52.13
I so often try to be the Holy
Spirit instead of asking the
00:19:52.14\00:19:55.87
the Holy Spirit to give me
life for others by praying and
00:19:55.90\00:19:58.77
waiting and trying to figure out
how I can be different. I'm a
00:19:58.80\00:20:02.07
fixer so I like to rush out and
try to do His work for Him, but
00:20:02.10\00:20:05.02
I have discovered that the Holy
Spirit is very able to do it if
00:20:05.05\00:20:06.91
will pray, claim his promises,
wait and stay out of it.
00:20:06.94\00:20:10.23
You know, I'm a fixer, too,
and I think... That's one thing
00:20:10.26\00:20:14.73
before I married, I prayed
so hard and said Lord me a
00:20:14.76\00:20:18.20
scriptural wife and show me
what that means to be, and the
00:20:18.23\00:20:22.60
Lord showed me that I couldn't
be my husband's god and that had
00:20:22.63\00:20:25.82
to be... You know, I prayed
so hard and said, Lord, just
00:20:25.85\00:20:28.18
put a guard at the doorpost of
my lips and don't let me speak
00:20:28.21\00:20:33.73
out of turn. Boy! I'll tell
what, I sure did bite my inside
00:20:33.76\00:20:39.89
of my cheek a whole lot
that first year or two. And the
00:20:39.92\00:20:43.55
Lord showed me that the only
time God really allowed me to
00:20:43.58\00:20:45.94
speak the word into my husband's
life, other than praying it over
00:20:45.97\00:20:52.56
him, was when J.D. asked me
a question and then God gave me
00:20:52.59\00:20:55.75
permission, but other than that
every time I would start to say
00:20:55.78\00:20:58.01
now this doesn't agree with
the word of God, God would just,
00:20:58.04\00:21:02.44
shush, shut it down. So there
is really something to that. I
00:21:02.47\00:21:05.28
have to add this: Did you know
that our first year of marriage
00:21:05.31\00:21:08.14
J.D. came home one day and I
was all upset trying to do our
00:21:08.17\00:21:12.33
budget and he said, I did
not think that was the way the
00:21:12.36\00:21:16.76
system worked. And I said, what
do you mean? And he said, well
00:21:16.79\00:21:18.83
you're always running'
around here talking about
00:21:18.86\00:21:20.36
walking by faith and not
by sight. Now I had never said
00:21:20.39\00:21:23.00
that to him. Now I don't know
if he heard me counseling with
00:21:23.03\00:21:25.71
someone over the phone or
if it was he just heard me say
00:21:25.74\00:21:30.39
it, but he had seen me model it
and now, I mean, I realize that,
00:21:30.42\00:21:36.22
you know the scripture in Peter
that says that you witness to
00:21:36.25\00:21:38.78
your husband by your gentle
spirit, which is of good value
00:21:38.81\00:21:42.54
to the Lord. I realized
that that really was working.
00:21:42.57\00:21:46.03
Hmm. Well, that's good. The
other thing, too, is we have a
00:21:46.06\00:21:50.70
lot of prayer partners
that have prayed for our son and
00:21:50.73\00:21:54.48
there is something about,
as we've talked earlier, united
00:21:54.51\00:21:59.49
prayer. There is a power un-
leashed there that we will not
00:21:59.52\00:22:03.46
experience alone and I am so
grateful to prayer partners who
00:22:03.49\00:22:06.81
have taken it on to pray
for our kids. That is why I love
00:22:06.84\00:22:09.73
Central California because so
many have prayed for our family,
00:22:09.76\00:22:12.28
for our kids.
00:22:12.31\00:22:13.75
You got a bunch of
praying people out there.
00:22:13.78\00:22:15.70
We do and it isn't us, they
were praying when we got there
00:22:15.73\00:22:19.64
and it's like there was
an excitement that happened
00:22:19.67\00:22:21.49
they realized that we wanted
to pray too. We all started
00:22:21.52\00:22:24.09
joining together praying. But
you know, people say California!
00:22:24.12\00:22:26.78
Nothing good comes out of
California. I'm telling you,
00:22:26.81\00:22:29.39
we've got some beautiful,
praying people there. But it
00:22:29.42\00:22:32.15
gives me a passion now to pray
for their kids, to claim God's
00:22:32.18\00:22:35.56
word for them. And you know we
met as a prayer group and we've
00:22:35.59\00:22:38.96
prayed I know for this one girl
for years and really you know in
00:22:38.99\00:22:42.94
our mind we thought, is
anything ever going to happen?
00:22:42.97\00:22:47.26
Dramatically, just nine
months or so ago, this girl
00:22:47.29\00:22:49.65
has had a major turn-around.
We say her go really getting
00:22:49.68\00:22:55.11
bad. But over and over, if
we will keep pressing it to his
00:22:55.14\00:22:58.22
throne, in thanksgiving, in
praise, walking by faith. Pray
00:22:58.25\00:23:04.17
in scripture. You can
pray all kinds of scriptures
00:23:04.20\00:23:05.54
into people's lives.
00:23:05.57\00:23:06.79
I don't know if you have
heard of Virginia Collins?
00:23:06.82\00:23:09.74
She's a prayer warrior down in
Florida. She prays for us. She
00:23:09.77\00:23:12.63
is praying right now
for our audience, but she
00:23:12.66\00:23:15.43
has taught me to take Genesis,
take the story of Joseph, take
00:23:15.46\00:23:18.84
Daniel, pray those in your
kids lives. I have a son that is
00:23:18.87\00:23:22.41
starting law school this
fall. He's fought it for several
00:23:22.44\00:23:26.51
years to do it, but he feels
like God is compelling him to go
00:23:26.54\00:23:29.15
the law school, and it's a
whole matter of prayer. But I'm
00:23:29.18\00:23:33.90
taking the book of Daniel and
praying the book of Daniel into
00:23:33.93\00:23:36.51
his life.
00:23:36.54\00:23:38.69
Just to reemphasize though some-
thing Janet has been saying,
00:23:38.72\00:23:40.45
she does this so much better
than I do, but asking God what
00:23:40.48\00:23:43.55
is it you want me to pray
about and letting him indict the
00:23:43.58\00:23:46.27
prayers out of us. In
Romans 8:26, Shelley, it says,
00:23:46.30\00:23:49.39
"Likewise the Spirit
also helps in our weaknesses.
00:23:49.42\00:23:51.86
For we do not know
what we should pray for
00:23:51.89\00:23:53.29
as we ought, but
the Spirit Himself
00:23:53.32\00:23:55.54
makes intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be
00:23:55.57\00:23:58.08
uttered. " I have always thought
well then the Holy Spirit is
00:23:58.11\00:24:00.44
praying for me. But Jesus
is praying for me and really
00:24:00.47\00:24:05.26
He does do that at times,
but I like what Ellen White says
00:24:05.29\00:24:08.21
commenting on that. She
says, "We must not only pray in
00:24:08.24\00:24:10.30
Christ's name, but in the inspi-
ration of the Holy Spirit. This
00:24:10.33\00:24:13.65
explains what is meant when
it is said that the Spirit makes
00:24:13.68\00:24:16.47
intercession for us with groan-
ings. Such prayer God delights
00:24:16.50\00:24:21.05
to answer. When with earnest-
ness and intensity we breathe a
00:24:21.08\00:24:23.73
prayer in the name of Christ,
there is in that very intensity
00:24:23.76\00:24:26.27
a pledge that God is
about to perform mighty things
00:24:26.30\00:24:30.77
exceeding abundantly above
all that we could ask or think.
00:24:30.80\00:24:32.66
So I think God knows what he
is doing. We need to join him in
00:24:32.69\00:24:36.15
his work and we need to
say, God, what are you doing?
00:24:36.18\00:24:38.08
How can I pray and help some
way in the great controversy
00:24:38.11\00:24:40.84
with what you need to do what
you plan to do, instead of just
00:24:40.87\00:24:44.13
here's what I want, God.
00:24:44.16\00:24:45.42
You know, what you just
said reminds me of the scripture
00:24:45.45\00:24:49.04
that talks about Jesus only
spoke what the Father wanted Him
00:24:49.07\00:24:52.72
to speak, he said he only did
what the Father wanted him to
00:24:52.75\00:24:55.90
do. So Jesus when he was praying
he was looking for what God was
00:24:56.04\00:24:59.70
was doing and saying Lord join
me to your work, show me how I
00:24:59.73\00:25:02.76
can be a benefit of this. So
many times, what we are doing is
00:25:02.79\00:25:06.53
we are trying to direct God and
tell him this is what we want
00:25:06.56\00:25:10.53
done when God's
got a better plan.
00:25:10.56\00:25:11.95
The neat thing in Zach's life,
we were praying for him so much
00:25:11.98\00:25:14.70
but come to find out for a
year he had been praying every
00:25:14.74\00:25:17.09
morning, Lord, you know I am
a loyal person. I'm not going to
00:25:17.12\00:25:19.39
break up with this girl.
I'm probably going to marry her.
00:25:19.42\00:25:22.19
If you don't want
that, you break us up.
00:25:22.22\00:25:24.90
So for a year every morning
he had been praying what we
00:25:24.93\00:25:27.62
thought was beyond reach. It was
God that indicted that out of
00:25:27.65\00:25:30.17
him. The other thing he had been
doing is every morning he would
00:25:30.20\00:25:33.52
read 1 Corinthians 13, the
love chapter. He would read that
00:25:33.55\00:25:36.83
every day when he suddenly
realized months later he had it
00:25:36.86\00:25:40.34
memorized. But it
changed his life..
00:25:40.37\00:25:42.56
Ah, that's beautiful, beautiful.
00:25:42.59\00:25:43.92
The word. One of things he says
is Mom, sometimes when I read
00:25:43.96\00:25:47.24
God's word, I don't feel like
I'm getting a lot out of it.
00:25:47.27\00:25:49.05
He says but I have such a peace
come over me and such a sense of
00:25:49.09\00:25:53.08
God's love when I read his word.
00:25:53.12\00:25:54.62
That's wonderful. We've
got about a minute left in this
00:25:54.65\00:25:58.19
program. What would you tell
a parent out there who doesn't
00:25:58.23\00:26:02.83
know how to pray for their
children? Where do they start?
00:26:02.87\00:26:06.51
With God. To pray and ask
God, how do I pray for my child.
00:26:06.54\00:26:10.85
Lord is there anything about
my life that you want to change
00:26:10.88\00:26:15.11
or that I need to ask
forgiveness for with my kid.
00:26:15.14\00:26:17.53
And ask God what scriptures...
00:26:17.56\00:26:18.53
Lord, how do I
pray scriptures into his
00:26:18.57\00:26:21.94
life. But go to
God. Start there..
00:26:21.97\00:26:25.40
And just do it. I think,
you know, the danger of these
00:26:25.44\00:26:28.25
these programs is that we
might think that we got to do
00:26:28.28\00:26:31.02
everything a certain way. The
important thing is to call on
00:26:31.06\00:26:33.66
the name of the Lord and he will
answer and show you great and
00:26:33.70\00:26:35.27
mighty things you know.
00:26:35.30\00:26:36.33
Exactly, and that's what it's
all about, is calling on the
00:26:36.37\00:26:39.75
name of the Lord. I can't
believe how rapidly our time
00:26:39.78\00:26:42.93
passes. When you are here
it just seems like we sit down
00:26:42.97\00:26:45.89
and the next thing I know
I look at the clock and it's
00:26:45.93\00:26:48.78
already gone. Janet, thank
you so much for what you shared
00:26:48.82\00:26:53.03
today and Jerry, you
too. You will come back?.
00:26:53.06\00:26:57.21
All right. Thank you all so
much. Here is a scripture that
00:26:57.24\00:27:00.05
I want to share with you to
pray for your children. It's
00:27:00.08\00:27:02.82
something that I often pray for
those I love and it comes from
00:27:02.86\00:27:06.88
Zechariah chapter
two and verse five.
00:27:06.91\00:27:09.27
God says that he will be a wall
of fire around us, well let me
00:27:09.30\00:27:14.49
read it. "For I,' says the Lord,
'will be a wall of fire round
00:27:14.52\00:27:19.67
about and I will be the
glory in the midst of her. "
00:27:19.70\00:27:22.77
Pray that God will be a wall
of fire around your children.
00:27:22.80\00:27:26.38
Pray that he will be the glory
in their midst, so that they
00:27:26.41\00:27:29.99
will learn to reflect the
character of God. That is a
00:27:30.02\00:27:33.00
wonderful thing to pray for your
children. You can't go wrong
00:27:33.03\00:27:36.73
there. We prayed for you that
this program will be something
00:27:36.76\00:27:40.42
that you put into practice.
00:27:40.46\00:27:41.67
Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of the
00:27:41.70\00:27:45.71
Father and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with you
00:27:45.75\00:27:49.69
throughout the rest of this day,
the rest of this week, the rest
00:27:49.73\00:27:53.70
rest of your life. Thank you.
00:27:53.74\00:27:55.56