Participants:
Series Code: PHTDP
Program Code: PHTDP190004A
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00:13 Welcome to day four of, Ten Days of Prayer,
00:17 a prayer strategy from the Revival and Reformation 00:19 initiative of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:22 I invite you to join me for the next seven days for 30 minutes 00:25 of praise and prayer as we seek God for a deeper experience. 00:30 It's not too late to visit www.tendaysofprayer.org 00:35 to sign up for the prayer community there 00:37 and to download the wonderful prayer resources 00:40 that are provided on their website. 00:42 I encourage you also to "like" the 3ABN Praise Him 00:46 music network Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. 00:51 I appreciate you for being a part of this time of 00:53 prayer and praise. 00:55 Listen to this testimony as I read a rather lengthy but... 01:00 Listen here. 01:02 "He grew up in a logger's home, the youngest of four children. 01:06 His siblings were much older and had lives of their own; 01:09 his father and mother were preoccupied managing 01:12 a tavern in the small town where they lived. 01:15 Eddie was often left to care for himself. 01:18 The local movie theater was his babysitter on weekends, 01:21 and many times he came home after the double feature 01:23 to an empty house. 01:25 Sometimes he sat in the family car well after other 01:28 seven-year-old children were asleep in their beds 01:31 and cried for his mother to come out of the tavern 01:34 and to take him home. 01:36 When Eddie was 14, his mother became a born-again 01:39 Seventh-day Adventist Christian, and things dramatically changed. 01:42 Instead of patronizing the tavern, his mother began 01:45 attending prayer meeting and church services. 01:48 Eddie joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church 01:50 with his mother and enrolled in church school. 01:53 By the time he was 17, however, he lost interest in church. 01:56 Two years later, he was drafted into military service. 02:00 His pastor encouraged him to get re-baptized 02:02 before facing the dangers of battle. 02:05 This sounded like a great plan, and Eddie agreed to do so 02:08 when he came home on leave. 02:10 He studied the fundamental beliefs of the 02:11 Adventist Church for a second time. 02:14 This provided head-knowledge, but he still didn't know Jesus. 02:18 Eddie found that trying to meet church standards 02:21 on his own was a challenge. 02:23 He was tired of trying to be a Christian, 02:25 playing church, trying to obey. 02:28 He was so powerless to maintain the Christian life, 02:31 and fell back into his old ways. 02:34 What was wrong?" 02:36 From, Steps to Christ, page 44, it says, 02:39 "There are those who profess to serve God, 02:42 while they rely upon their own efforts to obey His law, 02:46 to form a right character, and secure salvation. 02:50 Their hearts are not moved by any deep sense 02:52 of the love of Christ, but they seek to perform the duties 02:55 of the Christian life as that which God requires of them 02:59 in order to gain heaven. 03:01 Such religion is worth nothing... 03:04 A profession of Christ without this deep love [of Christ] 03:08 is mere talk, dry formality, and heavy drudgery." 03:14 "Eddie's mother and sister attended an all-night 03:16 prayer meeting at the church's New Year's Eve service. 03:20 They prayed specifically for Eddie. 03:22 They saw the answer to their prayers over the next few weeks 03:25 when things started going wrong for him. 03:28 He lost his girlfriend, his job, his car. 03:32 'Why is my world falling apart?' he wondered. 03:36 After a night of drinking with friends, 03:38 Eddie came home in a drunken stupor. 03:40 He cried out, 'God, if you're real, I need you! 03:44 I know a lot about you, but now I want to know you!' 03:49 A sweet, still, small voice made its way 03:52 through the fog in his mind: 03:54 'I AM real, and I love you.' 03:57 This broke his heart. 03:59 'How could You possibly love me after how I've lived?' he asked. 04:03 'I'm so tired of my life the way it is. 04:06 Please make me a true Christian. 04:08 I want to serve You the rest of my life, 04:10 but I can't do it by myself.' 04:13 That night, Eddie surrendered his life to Jesus 04:16 and accepted Him as Lord and Savior. 04:18 He believed by faith that his sins were forgiven 04:21 and that he was a new creature in Christ Jesus; 04:24 old things were passed away. 04:27 Through this simple act of believing the promise of God, 04:30 the Holy Spirit began a work in Eddie's heart. 04:34 A new life emerged, and Eddie did not turn back." 04:39 From, Steps to Christ, page 52, 04:41 "Now that you have given yourself to Jesus, 04:44 do not draw back, do not take yourself away from Him, 04:49 but day by day say, 'I am Christ's; 04:52 I have given myself to Him;' and ask Him to give you 04:57 His Spirit and to keep you by His grace. 05:00 As it is by giving yourself to God, and believing Him, 05:03 that you become His child, so you are to live in Him. 05:08 The apostle says, 'As ye have therefore received 05:11 Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.'" 05:15 That's from Colossians 2:6. 05:17 "So Eddie began to read the Bible and learned to pray. 05:21 As he studied the Scriptures and learned more about 05:23 the love of God through the life of Jesus, 05:25 his own life became transformed. 05:28 The drinking, smoking, and other lifestyle choices that once 05:32 made him happy were no longer part of his life." 05:36 That's the power of Christ to act in and to transform a life. 05:42 Maybe you have an Eddie in your life that you're praying for; 05:46 someone that you know needs the Lord, 05:51 and they maybe even have acknowledged that 05:53 they need the Lord, but they can't do it in their own power. 05:59 We all know that. 06:00 None of us came to the Lord in our own power. 06:02 It wasn't our idea. 06:05 God was seeking for us. 06:07 He brought us into the fold, right? 06:11 That's right. 06:14 Let's just spend some time praising God that 06:16 we are part of the fold. 06:18 We are part of the wonderful family of God. 06:24 And He has accepted us. 06:31 He's working on us. He's changing us. 06:33 Lord, we praise You that You never give up on anyone, 06:36 and that You heal our backsliding, 06:39 and that You love us freely. 06:43 Father, thank You for that. 06:45 For we weren't worthy. 06:48 We're still not worthy, except for the blood of Christ; 06:52 that You make us worthy. 06:53 Lord, I praise You that Your marvelous works are working 07:00 in the children of man. 07:03 Thank You for Your marvelous works, God, 07:05 Your marvelous ways that are a mystery to us. 07:10 Lord, we thank You for those. 07:11 Lord, we praise You for the joy that we find in Your presence, 07:16 and that You are giving us a hope and a future. 07:21 That's who You are, God. 07:23 We praise You. 07:28 Thank You. 07:37 Praise Him, praise Him, Jesus our blessed Redeemer. 07:43 Sing, oh earth; His wonderful love proclaim. 07:48 Hail Him, hail Him, highest archangels in glory; 07:54 strength and honor give to His holy name. 08:01 Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children; 08:06 in His arms He carries them all day long. 08:12 So I praise Him, I praise Him; 08:16 I'll tell of His excellent greatness. 08:19 Praise Him, praise Him, ever in joyful song. 08:31 Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way; 08:40 Thou art the potter, I am the clay. 08:49 Mold me and make me after Thy will 09:01 while I am waiting yielded and still. 09:16 Now we come to a time of confession 09:20 where we bring our faults to the Lord. 09:24 We ask Him to cleanse us 09:27 and make us new. 09:31 Lord, I pray that You will forgive us for holding onto 09:34 things that separate us from You. 09:41 Lord, I pray that You will help us to shed, 09:44 to get rid of those things that stand between You and us. 09:55 Lord, I ask that You would forgive us when we try to live 09:59 the Christian life on our own; 10:04 for it's nothing that we can do. 10:10 We have no power to be holy on our own. 10:17 So forgive us for trying to do it on our own. 10:23 God, I confess that I need a personal experience with You. 10:31 Not just a head knowledge. 10:33 Lord, I can remember all the books of the Bible 10:36 and all the scripture in the books of the Bible, 10:43 but, Lord, I want a heart knowledge, 10:47 a true experience, 10:51 a deeper experience with You, Lord. 10:58 Forgive me when I just make it from my head. 11:08 Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way; 11:18 search me and try me, Savior, today. 11:28 Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now; 11:38 as in Thy presence humbly I bow. 11:52 Just take a few moments to confess some sin to God. 11:59 Knowing He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin. 12:24 Thank You, Lord, for the blood that washes our sin away. 12:35 1 John 5:14-15 reminds us, "Now this is the confidence 12:41 that we have in Him; that if we ask anything 12:45 according to His will, He hears us. 12:49 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask 12:54 we know that we have the petitions 12:57 that we have asked of Him." 13:01 Thank You, God, that You give us a heart 13:05 with new desires so that we know what to ask. 13:13 So now I would ask you to take some time to 13:22 make intercession for people 13:29 as we read through this list. 13:32 Lord, we ask You to give us fully surrendered hearts 13:37 to live in obedience to Your word. 13:40 Do you want that? I do. 13:44 Lord, please baptize us daily with the Holy Spirit, 13:47 and make us more diligent in our efforts 13:50 to win people to You, 13:54 to fulfill that great commission. 13:55 I want that in my life. 14:00 Lord, we pray that our loved ones who have left the faith 14:05 will remember what it was like to begin fellowship with You, 14:09 and will long to be reunited with You. 14:13 Help them to sense and to accept Your love and forgiveness. 14:20 Oh Father, remind us what it was like when we first knew You. 14:33 Father, please fulfill Your promise in Joel 2:25 14:36 that says You will restore the years 14:39 that the locust, that sin itself, has eaten in our lives 14:44 and in the lives of our loved ones. 14:48 Lord, give us faith to believe that You will keep Your word. 14:54 Do you know that promise? Do you cling to that promise? 14:58 We serve a God of restoration. 15:03 So take Him up on His promise. 15:09 Lord, we pray for the 16 million people in the six least reached 15:14 cities of the South Pacific Division. 15:19 We pray, oh God, for the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit 15:23 on members as they reach out in love to the unreached. 15:29 Father, You have people all around this world. 15:33 Fill us with the urgency to 15:39 get out and be a light to a dark world. 15:48 Lord, open doors of opportunity with our neighbors, 15:55 with our family, 16:00 to witness to them. 16:02 God, may Your Word, may the word of our testimony 16:08 fall on hungry hearts. 16:13 We pray that the Holy Spirit would help us know how to 16:15 reach the 406 million people in the 105 least reached cities 16:22 of the Northern Asia Pacific Division. 16:26 406 million people. 16:32 That's why You've got to have people all over this world. 16:37 406 million people need to hear. 16:43 God, make it happen. 16:50 And Lord, I pray that You will please bless 16:54 as Adventist chaplaincy ministries mobilizes 17:01 chaplains and interested members to minister 17:04 to those in prison. 17:06 God, I thank You that You have given me an opportunity 17:10 to be involved in the prison ministry here at 3ABN. 17:20 And Lord, as I see those precious, precious 17:25 men and women, they could just as easily be my brother, 17:30 my dad, my son, my mom, my sister. 17:40 Lord, they've just fallen along the way. 17:47 As they are there in prison, God, I pray that 17:50 You will send chaplains. 17:55 Put it on the hearts of men and women to become chaplains. 17:58 Father, what no greater work. 18:02 Your Word says, "I was in prison and you visited Me." 18:11 So thank You for the chaplain ministry. 18:21 Father, for those again that You have placed on our hearts 18:25 that we long to see won to Your kingdom, 18:32 use us to pray for these. 18:36 Remembering the story of Eddie, the testimony, 18:40 as his mother and his sister went to prayer meeting. 18:45 They didn't give up on Eddie. 18:49 Oh God, help us not to give up on those that 18:54 sometimes we see them as helpless; 18:57 lost causes. 18:59 Lord, there are no lost causes with You. 19:04 Thank You, oh God, that You don't give up. 19:07 You never give up. 19:09 You never gave up on me. 19:12 Lord, I thank You for that. 19:17 So for that mother who has a son who 19:21 just doesn't see the point in serving You, oh God, 19:27 give that mother the perseverance to keep praying, 19:32 and touch that son. 19:37 For the wife who is praying for her husband to return to You, 19:45 oh God, hear her prayer. 19:55 Whoever you're praying for, I pray right now that you would 19:59 just take some time. 20:04 You have God's attention. 20:08 Let Him know Your heart. 20:10 He knows who you've been praying for. 20:13 He knows... 20:14 He wants them in the kingdom more than you do. 20:18 So just take some time and pray. 20:30 Holy Spirit, work in our lives. 20:40 Sweet Holy Spirit, work in our lives. 20:49 Bring the lost home to You. 20:54 Bring them home to You. 21:02 Father, for those who have joined me in our time together, 21:09 God, we've got needs, because we're a needy people. 21:19 You aren't our Genie, 21:25 but we ask You because we need a touch from You 21:33 in our finances, in our spiritual commitment, 21:38 in our health. 21:39 We need You. 21:42 We need You in our churches, 21:43 we need You in our relationships, 21:46 we need You in our jobs. 21:50 Someone may need a car. 21:57 Someone is needing You, 22:03 they need Your provision for a house. 22:09 Father God, meet these needs. 22:18 Thank You for being with us every step of the way, Father. 22:21 You don't forsake us, You don't give up on us. 22:25 All the way my Savior leads me; what have I to ask beside? 22:33 Can I doubt His tender mercy, 22:38 who through life has been my Guide? 22:42 Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, 22:47 ere by faith in Him to dwell. 22:51 For I know whate'er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well. 23:01 For I know whate'er befall me, 23:06 Jesus doeth all things well. 23:15 All of the way my Savior leads me; 23:18 cheers each winding path I tread, 23:22 gives me grace for every trial, 23:26 feeds me with the living bread. 23:30 Though my weary steps may falter, 23:35 and my soul athirst may be, 23:39 gushing from the rock before me, lo, a spring of joy I see. 23:48 Gushing from the rock before me, 23:53 lo, a spring of joy I see. 24:00 Oh, thank You for joy, Lord. 24:03 Oh, we sing for joy. 24:06 For Your faithfulness, we thank You. 24:10 Thank You, Lord, that You have given us the Holy Spirit 24:13 to continually guide us into all truth. 24:19 Thank You, oh Father, for working to answer our prayers 24:25 in ways that we can't see. 24:27 We can't even fathom how You're going to make it happen. 24:32 But You do it. 24:33 And it's like You joy to be creative 24:36 in answering our prayers. 24:39 Father, thank You. 24:41 Lord, we thank You in advance for answering our prayers, 24:47 not because we are worthy, 24:51 but because Jesus is worthy. 24:56 Amen? 24:58 We have so much to be thankful for. 24:59 Praise the Lord. 25:01 Lord, I thank You. 25:07 All the way my Savior leads me; oh, the fullness of His love. 25:16 Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father's house above. 25:25 When my spirit clothed immortal 25:29 wings its flight to realms of day, 25:35 this my song through endless ages, 25:39 my Jesus led me all the way. 25:44 This my song through endless ages, 25:50 Jesus led me all the way. 26:04 So that means, if Jesus is leading us, 26:09 what's our role? 26:12 To follow. 26:15 If you're going to be a leader, you've got to have followers. 26:17 Right? 26:19 Well Jesus is the one we're following. 26:22 So I encourage you to follow Him. 26:26 Get in the Word. 26:28 2019 can be the best year of your life 26:35 if you will surrender to Him. 26:37 Commit your ways to Him. 26:44 Let Him know that you've decided to follow Jesus, 26:49 that you're committed. 26:51 There ain't no turning back now. 26:57 And He will be faithful to lead you 27:01 beyond your wildest imagination, 27:07 because He loves you. 27:16 Thank You, Lord. 27:20 Thank You, Lord, for leading us. 27:26 Thank You, Lord... 27:36 ...that You never fail us. 27:42 I love You, Lord. 27:45 And I lift my voice to worship You. 27:52 Oh, my soul, rejoice. 27:57 Take joy, my King, in what You hear; 28:07 may it be a sweet, sweet sound 28:15 in Your ear. 28:23 I invite you to come back tomorrow night 28:26 as we continue our ten days of prayer. 28:31 God is good all the time. 28:35 He loves this time we're spending together. 28:40 Any time we gather to pray to Him or to talk about Him, 28:44 He's keeping track. 28:50 Because He loves 28:54 when we gather in His name. 28:57 We're His children. 28:58 If you have children, you know what it's like 29:01 when they sit and talk about you in a good way. 29:08 Well, I have no other way but good when it comes to God. 29:13 For His goodness far exceeds my mind. 29:19 So be sure and check out the tendaysofprayer.org website. 29:27 Call your neighbor, let them know 29:29 that you are praying for them. 29:32 Call your son or daughter. 29:33 Remind them again you are praying for them. 29:38 It's not a lost cause, friend. 29:42 It's not in vain. 29:44 If you're working for the Lord: 29:48 preacher, Sabbath school teacher, 29:51 it's not in vain. 29:52 Be blessed. |
Revised 2019-01-30