I want to spend my life
00:00:01.36\00:00:07.30
Mending broken people
00:00:07.34\00:00:12.21
I want to spend my life
00:00:12.24\00:00:18.48
Removing pain
00:00:18.51\00:00:23.49
Lord, let my words
00:00:23.52\00:00:29.76
Heal a heart that hurts
00:00:29.79\00:00:34.30
I want to spend my life
00:00:34.33\00:00:40.00
Mending broken people
00:00:40.04\00:00:45.54
I want to spend my life
00:00:45.57\00:00:51.08
Mending broken people
00:00:51.11\00:00:55.22
Hello, and welcome to
Friday night family worship.
00:01:07.46\00:01:10.27
I am on board and
my co-pilot is with me.
00:01:10.30\00:01:13.27
Angela, good to
have you here, honey.
00:01:13.30\00:01:14.64
Yeah, it's always good to be
here on Friday nights with you
00:01:14.67\00:01:17.77
and to have family worship.
00:01:17.81\00:01:19.34
And you know, everywhere
we go, people say what?
00:01:19.37\00:01:22.04
They love family worship.
00:01:22.08\00:01:23.41
That's right.
00:01:23.45\00:01:24.78
It's a
blessing, isn't it, honey?
00:01:24.81\00:01:26.15
And it's good for us too,
00:01:26.18\00:01:27.52
because it's not only a
program that 3ABN is providing,
00:01:27.55\00:01:30.69
but it is a time
for us to also remember
00:01:30.72\00:01:33.36
that the family
is only as strong
00:01:33.39\00:01:35.99
as its component of worship.
00:01:36.02\00:01:38.56
The family that worships
together stays together.
00:01:38.59\00:01:40.96
And we've got a
family here today.
00:01:41.00\00:01:42.63
Yes, we do. We got
a family over here.
00:01:42.66\00:01:44.43
We're going to
start by introducing...
00:01:44.47\00:01:45.80
Well, are we going
to say happy Sabbath?
00:01:45.83\00:01:47.57
Hey, happy
Sabbath. Happy Sabbath.
00:01:47.60\00:01:50.37
Happy sabado.
00:01:50.41\00:01:51.74
Yeah, he's
getting Latino on me...
00:01:51.77\00:01:53.61
Yeah, yeah.
00:01:53.64\00:01:54.98
This person over
here, but that's okay.
00:01:55.01\00:01:56.98
Honey, why don't you
go ahead and start by...
00:01:57.01\00:01:58.81
Well, let's start over to
our far left and introduce...
00:01:58.85\00:02:02.52
He's not a stranger, he's
been on our Friday worship.
00:02:02.55\00:02:05.69
I'm glad, I'm not a stranger.
00:02:05.72\00:02:07.06
Actually, I'm Donald Owen
00:02:07.09\00:02:08.72
and I actually work in
a production department,
00:02:08.76\00:02:10.23
I'm kind of what
they call on call.
00:02:10.26\00:02:12.06
But I also work at the
church on personal ministries.
00:02:12.09\00:02:14.70
We go in a community.
00:02:14.73\00:02:16.23
We do lots of things, giving
out books, distributing books,
00:02:16.26\00:02:18.77
and we also work with
addiction recovery group
00:02:18.80\00:02:22.04
in the community.
00:02:22.07\00:02:23.41
And we've been doing
that for three years,
00:02:23.44\00:02:24.77
and it's been very successful
00:02:24.81\00:02:26.14
so, helping
people in the community
00:02:26.17\00:02:27.84
overcome a lot of addictions.
00:02:27.88\00:02:29.61
Well, good to have you, Donald.
00:02:29.64\00:02:31.41
And...
00:02:31.45\00:02:32.78
Katrina Lubinski. Yes.
00:02:32.81\00:02:35.45
Tell us what you do now?
00:02:35.48\00:02:36.82
Who you are for those of us who
may not have known you before?
00:02:36.85\00:02:40.12
Well, I'm originally
from the Chicago area
00:02:40.16\00:02:43.63
and I moved to
Southern Illinois.
00:02:43.66\00:02:47.93
And I originally graduated
from Andrews University
00:02:47.96\00:02:51.43
with my masters in youth
and young adult ministry.
00:02:51.47\00:02:53.84
Okay.
00:02:53.87\00:02:55.20
But currently, I am
doing literature evangelism
00:02:55.24\00:02:57.47
and Bible work for
the surrounding area.
00:02:57.51\00:02:59.81
Okay, well, good
to have you here.
00:02:59.84\00:03:01.18
And also she's a singer.
00:03:01.21\00:03:03.21
Very good
singer. Beautiful singer.
00:03:03.24\00:03:04.75
She sings at our church,
she sings at many churches.
00:03:04.78\00:03:08.25
Beautiful voice and
she's a blessing to our church.
00:03:08.28\00:03:10.89
Good to have you here, Katrina.
00:03:10.92\00:03:12.25
Good to be here.
00:03:12.29\00:03:13.62
And two other people
that are not strangers.
00:03:13.66\00:03:15.19
No.
00:03:15.22\00:03:16.56
First of all,
my bodyguard, Luis.
00:03:16.59\00:03:19.59
I do rant him out
in English and Spanish.
00:03:19.63\00:03:23.03
Good to have you here, Luis.
00:03:23.06\00:03:24.40
It's good to be here, pastor.
00:03:24.43\00:03:25.77
Yes, tell the audience that
may not know you, what you do?
00:03:25.80\00:03:28.44
And where are you from?
Well, I'm originally from Cuba.
00:03:28.47\00:03:32.41
Currently doing
the program manager
00:03:32.44\00:03:36.71
and that entails
all nine of our programs
00:03:36.75\00:03:41.52
or nine of our channels
00:03:41.55\00:03:42.88
even though the ninth
one is not up and running yet
00:03:42.92\00:03:44.55
which is the Praise channel.
00:03:44.59\00:03:48.92
But we're excited that God
through all the challenges,
00:03:48.96\00:03:54.26
He manifests
Himself in an amazing way.
00:03:54.30\00:03:56.90
That's right. And
it's good to be here.
00:03:56.93\00:04:00.34
It's good to be able
to worship on Sabbath
00:04:00.37\00:04:04.24
and to be able to
let our viewers know
00:04:04.27\00:04:07.28
that we are their family.
00:04:07.31\00:04:09.04
That's right.
00:04:09.08\00:04:10.41
You know, they are an
extended family of ourselves
00:04:10.45\00:04:12.41
and we love
spending this time with them.
00:04:12.45\00:04:14.12
Okay, good to have you.
00:04:14.15\00:04:15.62
And to your right is somebody
I know you know very well.
00:04:15.65\00:04:19.32
My lovely wife, Xenia.
00:04:19.35\00:04:21.62
Yes, I'm Xenia Capote
00:04:21.66\00:04:23.16
and I work here at
the finance department
00:04:23.19\00:04:26.59
and I've been
enjoying people's calls
00:04:26.63\00:04:30.97
and talking about
the worship service
00:04:31.00\00:04:34.27
and how they like to join us
00:04:34.30\00:04:38.07
and they feel part of our family
00:04:38.11\00:04:40.21
when we sit around the
table and sing songs and talk,
00:04:40.24\00:04:44.75
and they really enjoy that.
00:04:44.78\00:04:46.51
Yes, they do.
Are you Cuban also?
00:04:46.55\00:04:48.78
No, ma'am.
00:04:48.82\00:04:51.39
I'm from El Salvador.
00:04:51.42\00:04:52.75
El Salvador. El Salvador.
00:04:52.79\00:04:54.49
El Salvador.
00:04:54.52\00:04:56.19
And you're supposed
to say happy Sabbath
00:04:56.22\00:04:57.56
in a different way.
00:04:57.59\00:04:58.93
Feliz Sabado. Yes.
00:04:58.96\00:05:01.20
Wow.
00:05:01.23\00:05:02.56
As you know, we
also enjoy music.
00:05:02.60\00:05:05.70
And I'm going to
give Sister Xenia a chance
00:05:05.73\00:05:08.00
to make a way to the piano
00:05:08.04\00:05:09.37
because today our topic
is about intercessory prayer.
00:05:09.40\00:05:13.44
Now, we talked
earlier and we said,
00:05:13.48\00:05:14.81
"If we do a topic on love,
that's like the whole Bible."
00:05:14.84\00:05:17.98
If we say the love of
God, that's the whole Bible.
00:05:18.01\00:05:21.72
But we narrowed down
to love the Lord, your God
00:05:21.75\00:05:23.79
with all your heart, that's
the first four commandments,
00:05:23.82\00:05:25.89
love your neighbor as yourself.
00:05:25.92\00:05:27.26
But today, instead of saying,
00:05:27.29\00:05:28.62
we're going to do
a topic on prayer.
00:05:28.66\00:05:30.13
We're going to do
one on what, honey?
00:05:30.16\00:05:31.66
Intercessory prayers.
00:05:31.69\00:05:33.19
Wow, and that is... Which is...
00:05:33.23\00:05:35.66
Standing in the gap in
so many different ways.
00:05:35.70\00:05:40.50
Who are you praying for?
00:05:40.54\00:05:42.24
Who's praying for you?
00:05:42.27\00:05:44.47
Are you praying for someone?
00:05:44.51\00:05:46.14
Is someone praying for you?
00:05:46.17\00:05:48.24
Is the church praying for you?
00:05:48.28\00:05:49.61
Are you praying for the church?
00:05:49.64\00:05:51.08
Who should you pray for?
00:05:51.11\00:05:52.65
And why should
you pray for them?
00:05:52.68\00:05:54.02
Are you praying for the pastor?
00:05:54.05\00:05:55.62
Thank you.
00:05:55.65\00:05:56.99
That's right, we
need prayer. Yes. Amen.
00:05:57.02\00:05:59.95
And, so we're going
to talk about that today,
00:05:59.99\00:06:01.86
because I know that
many of you watching,
00:06:01.89\00:06:03.73
I would say, all you watching
can right away think of someone
00:06:03.76\00:06:06.73
that you need to pray for.
00:06:06.76\00:06:08.10
And this program, we're
going to walk through the Bible
00:06:08.13\00:06:09.86
and see the many examples.
00:06:09.90\00:06:11.53
And even in
experiences and testimonies
00:06:11.57\00:06:13.70
of what it means to pray
00:06:13.74\00:06:15.20
and how God really honors those
who remember others in prayer.
00:06:15.24\00:06:20.01
You know, it's easy to say,
00:06:20.04\00:06:21.38
"Lord, I need, Lord,
I need, Lord, I need,"
00:06:21.41\00:06:24.31
but it's something
altogether different.
00:06:24.35\00:06:25.98
And you'll find
out from scripture,
00:06:26.01\00:06:27.52
how God wants to bless us
00:06:27.55\00:06:29.45
when we think outside of
ourselves for someone else.
00:06:29.48\00:06:32.49
But we're going
to begin with a song
00:06:32.52\00:06:34.02
that I know that you all know.
00:06:34.06\00:06:35.39
If you have a
hymnal at home, it's 478,
00:06:35.42\00:06:38.39
"Sweet Hour of Prayer",
00:06:38.43\00:06:40.03
but it's such a
familiar hymn, honey.
00:06:40.06\00:06:42.06
Very, many people know it.
00:06:42.10\00:06:43.43
Let's sing this song together,
00:06:43.47\00:06:44.80
and we'll sing
all three stanzas,
00:06:44.83\00:06:46.33
Sweet Hour of Prayer.
00:06:46.37\00:06:47.70
Sweet hour of
prayer Sweet hour of prayer
00:06:56.75\00:07:02.95
That calls me
from a world of care
00:07:02.98\00:07:08.96
And bids me at
my Father's throne
00:07:08.99\00:07:14.70
Make all my
wants and wishes known!
00:07:14.73\00:07:21.07
In seasons of distress and grief
00:07:21.10\00:07:26.94
My soul has often found relief
00:07:26.98\00:07:33.38
And of escaped
the tempters snare
00:07:33.42\00:07:39.82
By thy return
sweet hour of prayer
00:07:39.85\00:07:46.83
Sweet hour of
prayer Sweet hour of prayer
00:07:46.86\00:07:53.54
Thy wings shall my petition bear
00:07:53.57\00:08:00.28
To Him whose
truth and faithfulness
00:08:00.31\00:08:07.18
Engage the waiting soul to bless
00:08:07.22\00:08:14.09
And since He
bids me seek His face
00:08:14.12\00:08:20.70
Believe His word
00:08:20.73\00:08:24.13
And trust His grace
00:08:24.17\00:08:28.20
I'll cast on Him my every care
00:08:28.24\00:08:35.21
And wait for thee
00:08:35.24\00:08:38.75
Sweet hour of prayer
00:08:38.78\00:08:44.05
Sweet hour of
prayer Sweet hour of prayer
00:08:44.09\00:08:50.63
May I thy consolation share
00:08:50.66\00:08:57.43
Till from Mount
Pisgah's lofty height
00:08:57.47\00:09:04.41
I view my home
00:09:04.44\00:09:07.88
And take my flight
00:09:07.91\00:09:11.75
In my immortal flesh I'll rise
00:09:11.78\00:09:18.75
To seize the everlasting prize
00:09:18.79\00:09:24.76
I love this.
00:09:24.79\00:09:26.13
And shout while
passing through the air
00:09:26.16\00:09:32.80
Fare-well, fare-well
00:09:32.83\00:09:36.81
Sweet hour of prayer!
00:09:36.84\00:09:41.48
Beautiful.
00:09:41.51\00:09:43.61
Isn't that wonderful? Yeah.
00:09:43.65\00:09:45.25
I picture that verse,
00:09:45.28\00:09:46.61
"And shout while
passing through the air."
00:09:46.65\00:09:48.88
Farewell... Farewell.
00:09:48.92\00:09:50.25
Sin, trials,
tribulations, farewell.
00:09:50.29\00:09:52.29
Praise God. Praise the Lord.
00:09:52.32\00:09:53.66
All the
heartaches. Over sickness.
00:09:53.69\00:09:55.02
Oh, wow, how long?
00:09:55.06\00:09:56.39
Over sickness, over
death, over suffering.
00:09:56.42\00:10:00.56
And next song... Is...
00:10:00.60\00:10:02.46
"As we come to you
and pray," page 671.
00:10:02.50\00:10:06.53
And the words are,
"Now dear Lord, as we pray,
00:10:06.57\00:10:09.87
take our hearts
and minds far away
00:10:09.90\00:10:13.64
from the press of
the world all around
00:10:13.68\00:10:17.65
to your throne
where grace does abound.
00:10:17.68\00:10:21.75
May our lives..."
00:10:21.78\00:10:23.12
"Be transformed by Your love.
00:10:23.15\00:10:25.09
May our souls be
refreshed from above.
00:10:25.12\00:10:27.76
At this moment, let
people everywhere including you.
00:10:27.79\00:10:31.23
Join us now as we
come to your prayer."
00:10:31.26\00:10:33.73
It's a single chorus,
we'll repeat it twice.
00:10:33.76\00:10:36.36
What a wonderful song.
00:10:36.40\00:10:38.17
I've heard this in
churches many times.
00:10:38.20\00:10:42.20
Now dear Lord, as we pray
00:10:42.24\00:10:47.38
Take our hearts
and minds far away
00:10:47.41\00:10:53.98
From the press of
the world all around
00:10:54.02\00:11:00.09
To Your throne
where grace does abound
00:11:00.12\00:11:06.13
May our lives be
transform'd by Your love
00:11:06.16\00:11:12.43
May our souls be
refreshed from above
00:11:12.47\00:11:19.44
At this moment
let people everywhere
00:11:19.47\00:11:26.25
Join us now as we
come to You in prayer.
00:11:26.28\00:11:32.45
One more time.
00:11:32.49\00:11:34.89
Now dear Lord, as we pray
00:11:34.92\00:11:40.70
Take our hearts
and minds far away
00:11:40.73\00:11:47.67
From the press of
the world all around
00:11:47.70\00:11:54.64
To Your throne
where grace does abound
00:11:54.68\00:12:01.65
May our lives be transform'd
00:12:01.68\00:12:05.42
By Your love
00:12:05.45\00:12:08.79
May our souls be refreshed
00:12:08.82\00:12:12.56
From above
00:12:12.59\00:12:16.50
At this moment
00:12:16.53\00:12:19.00
Let people everywhere
00:12:19.03\00:12:24.11
Join us now
00:12:24.14\00:12:26.57
As we come to You in prayer
00:12:26.61\00:12:33.58
Honey, would you pray for
me? Sure, let's bow our heads.
00:12:33.62\00:12:36.72
Our kind and
gracious heavenly Father,
00:12:36.75\00:12:39.45
we come to You in
the name of Jesus,
00:12:39.49\00:12:41.56
no other name.
00:12:41.59\00:12:43.43
And we thank You and praise You
00:12:43.46\00:12:45.13
for this blessed Sabbath evening
00:12:45.16\00:12:47.33
that is upon us.
00:12:47.36\00:12:49.03
Lord, take our
minds, our hearts far away.
00:12:49.06\00:12:52.63
Let us not think of the things
and worries of this world,
00:12:52.67\00:12:56.07
the pressures of this world
00:12:56.10\00:12:58.97
and the struggles of this world.
00:12:59.01\00:13:01.44
Help our minds be
transformed by Your love.
00:13:01.48\00:13:05.35
So, Lord, we ask that You
will come into this place,
00:13:05.38\00:13:08.48
go through the television
waves and speak to each heart
00:13:08.52\00:13:11.72
as they are
watching and listening
00:13:11.75\00:13:14.26
to these
wonderful words of life,
00:13:14.29\00:13:16.79
intercessory prayer.
00:13:16.83\00:13:18.66
So, Lord, we thank
You for this opportunity.
00:13:18.69\00:13:22.10
Open our hearts
00:13:22.13\00:13:23.47
and, Lord, please
accept our praise to You.
00:13:23.50\00:13:26.30
Now we thank You in the
worthy and most precious name
00:13:26.33\00:13:30.07
of our Jesus, amen.
00:13:30.11\00:13:32.17
Amen. Amen.
00:13:32.21\00:13:33.54
Thank you, honey, for
that heartfelt prayer.
00:13:33.58\00:13:35.98
Thank you so much.
00:13:36.01\00:13:37.35
You know, prayer, how can you
talk about prayer and not pray?
00:13:37.38\00:13:39.91
Yeah. Yeah.
00:13:39.95\00:13:41.82
And all of our
programs are wrapped in prayer
00:13:41.85\00:13:45.62
from the beginning to the end.
00:13:45.65\00:13:47.42
I am glad to have
this panel with us.
00:13:47.46\00:13:49.29
I am too.
00:13:49.32\00:13:50.66
Katrina, it's the
first time with us.
00:13:50.69\00:13:52.03
Glad to have you here,
I'm glad you can make that.
00:13:52.06\00:13:53.80
But Donald and
Xenia, or Xenia, which one?
00:13:53.83\00:13:57.13
Xenia. Xenia, the right accent.
00:13:57.17\00:13:59.30
And Luis, he is very much
involved in prison ministry.
00:13:59.33\00:14:04.57
And he goes and speaks
00:14:04.61\00:14:05.94
to the Spanish
population in prison.
00:14:05.97\00:14:08.08
And he has wonderful audience.
00:14:08.11\00:14:10.21
Praise God for that ministry.
00:14:10.25\00:14:11.58
And your wife also, you both
reach out in a beautiful way.
00:14:11.61\00:14:13.58
He preaches, he sings. Yeah.
00:14:13.62\00:14:15.92
He doesn't need a microphone
when we sing at church.
00:14:15.95\00:14:18.05
I made a mistake of
giving him a microphone one day.
00:14:18.09\00:14:19.79
Yeah.
00:14:19.82\00:14:22.29
I said, "The
microphone is for amplification
00:14:22.32\00:14:24.83
which you do not need."
00:14:24.86\00:14:26.19
Nope.
00:14:26.23\00:14:27.56
I love this
guy, great gentleman.
00:14:27.60\00:14:28.93
And Donald and his wife are so
on the battlefield for the Lord
00:14:28.96\00:14:32.03
in so many ways, witnessing
and reaching out into...
00:14:32.07\00:14:34.37
It's a lot of fun and
passion. It's a lot of fun.
00:14:34.40\00:14:36.17
And it's a
passion that you both had.
00:14:36.20\00:14:37.54
Yes...
00:14:37.57\00:14:38.91
Oh, it's awesome,
it's just... Reaching out.
00:14:38.94\00:14:40.28
What you see, you know,
the results of the fruit,
00:14:40.31\00:14:42.11
it's just been incredible story.
00:14:42.14\00:14:44.15
If God gives you a door,
you've got to step through it,
00:14:44.18\00:14:45.71
just before it's not
too late for yourself.
00:14:45.75\00:14:47.18
And do it on all your might.
00:14:47.22\00:14:48.62
Exactly. Amen.
00:14:48.65\00:14:49.98
And, Katrina, we've seen
Katrina through the years grow
00:14:50.02\00:14:53.02
and moving to
different areas of ministry
00:14:53.05\00:14:55.19
and we thank the
Lord for your dedication
00:14:55.22\00:14:57.89
to get that degree.
00:14:57.93\00:14:59.26
And now, you're putting it
to use to build God's kingdom.
00:14:59.29\00:15:01.20
Yes, right.
Praise the Lord for that.
00:15:01.23\00:15:03.50
And, honey, boy,
00:15:03.53\00:15:04.87
it's been a long
time we've grown together.
00:15:04.90\00:15:06.67
And that's why I
decided not to color my hair.
00:15:06.70\00:15:08.84
I want people to see
I've been around a while.
00:15:08.87\00:15:12.64
You used to be jet black.
00:15:12.67\00:15:14.01
Used to be jet black
with help of just for men.
00:15:14.04\00:15:17.38
Not anymore.
00:15:17.41\00:15:18.75
Now, I'm going to
glow just for God.
00:15:18.78\00:15:20.12
Amen.
00:15:20.15\00:15:21.48
Let's just go ahead
and launch into the topic.
00:15:21.52\00:15:22.85
Now intercessory prayer,
once we were in Zimbabwe,
00:15:22.88\00:15:26.96
and then the next
year, we went to Zambia.
00:15:26.99\00:15:29.79
And what was interesting about
that we were with Maranatha,
00:15:29.82\00:15:33.19
and we had a chance to cross in
from one country to the other.
00:15:33.23\00:15:38.77
And although they
were just not so far apart,
00:15:38.80\00:15:41.70
just a bridge's
length on the Victoria...
00:15:41.74\00:15:44.37
I think it's Victoria Bridge?
00:15:44.41\00:15:45.74
Yeah, I think so.
00:15:45.77\00:15:47.61
Just a bridge's length
from one country to the other.
00:15:47.64\00:15:51.08
And so when you
leave one country,
00:15:51.11\00:15:52.85
you go through the border
and then you're on the bridge,
00:15:52.88\00:15:54.68
they call it, "No man's land."
00:15:54.72\00:15:56.75
Meaning you're not anywhere,
you're not in any country
00:15:56.79\00:15:59.65
till you get to
the other border.
00:15:59.69\00:16:01.42
And I thought, "Wow!
00:16:01.46\00:16:02.79
You could be on earth in
the middle of two countries
00:16:02.82\00:16:05.13
and you are in no man's land.
00:16:05.16\00:16:06.59
Wow, that's incredible.
00:16:06.63\00:16:07.96
And I thought, "How many people
00:16:08.00\00:16:09.66
are in no man's
land in their lives
00:16:09.70\00:16:12.23
because we are not
becoming the bridge
00:16:12.27\00:16:14.67
between their
trial and their blessing.
00:16:14.70\00:16:17.87
And so today,
we're going to look at
00:16:17.91\00:16:19.47
how we can become the
bridge between where they are
00:16:19.51\00:16:23.55
in their difficulties of
life and where they could be,
00:16:23.58\00:16:26.45
if somebody would just
pause and pray for them.
00:16:26.48\00:16:29.02
Because I'm sure, we
could share some stories.
00:16:29.05\00:16:31.05
I mean there are times that
we don't even feel like praying.
00:16:31.09\00:16:34.12
And sometimes when I feel
that way, my wife will pray,
00:16:34.16\00:16:36.62
when she doesn't feel
like it, I would pray,
00:16:36.66\00:16:38.53
and we don't just have this
00:16:38.56\00:16:39.93
general don't
feel like praying...
00:16:39.96\00:16:41.36
No, no, no.
00:16:41.40\00:16:42.73
But trails and
challenges do come.
00:16:42.76\00:16:44.70
And sometimes you say, "Oh!
00:16:44.73\00:16:47.50
Honey, would you pray for us."
00:16:47.54\00:16:49.27
And she says the same
thing, "Would you pray,"
00:16:49.30\00:16:50.91
and we hold each other's hands
00:16:50.94\00:16:52.27
and we bridge the
gap for each other.
00:16:52.31\00:16:54.38
I'm sure you've done
that as husband and wife.
00:16:54.41\00:16:55.98
Oh, yes, many times.
00:16:56.01\00:16:57.85
You know, when
you chose this topic,
00:16:57.88\00:17:00.05
I go back to the prison ministry
00:17:00.08\00:17:02.68
and that's all and
just started prayer.
00:17:02.72\00:17:04.42
Oh, that's right.
00:17:04.45\00:17:05.79
You know, they're
not with their families,
00:17:05.82\00:17:07.49
they're constantly praying.
00:17:07.52\00:17:08.86
And it's beautiful to see when
the miracle starts coming back
00:17:08.89\00:17:12.63
and when we pray
for a particular child
00:17:12.66\00:17:15.73
or a family member,
00:17:15.76\00:17:17.93
and their prayers are answered
and that encourages the group.
00:17:17.97\00:17:21.34
That's beautiful.
00:17:21.37\00:17:22.70
And when we talk about
prayer, it's so amazing,
00:17:22.74\00:17:27.98
because it's the way that
we can communicate with God.
00:17:28.01\00:17:30.51
It's our direct
connection to Him.
00:17:30.55\00:17:32.88
And sometimes, when
you are first starting
00:17:32.91\00:17:34.98
to have a relationship with God,
00:17:35.02\00:17:37.69
when you're first starting,
00:17:37.72\00:17:39.19
you open the Bible
for the first time,
00:17:39.22\00:17:41.49
and some people
when they tell you,
00:17:41.52\00:17:42.86
"I don't know what to
say, I don't know what to do."
00:17:42.89\00:17:45.73
And when you see them
just talking like a friend.
00:17:45.76\00:17:50.07
You know, and it's so beautiful
00:17:50.10\00:17:51.43
because in that
particular setting,
00:17:51.47\00:17:56.14
they need to rely on each other,
00:17:56.17\00:17:58.24
they need to form
friendships real quickly.
00:17:58.27\00:18:01.64
And then, they realize
00:18:01.68\00:18:03.35
how magnificent
the friendships are,
00:18:03.38\00:18:07.78
like we are with Christ.
00:18:07.82\00:18:09.48
And when they see us coming in,
00:18:09.52\00:18:12.65
you know, Bryan, and Dan,
and myself, we go on Sunday.
00:18:12.69\00:18:17.56
When they see us coming in
00:18:17.59\00:18:18.93
and they see the
love that we have of God,
00:18:18.96\00:18:21.93
then they want,
they thirst for that.
00:18:21.96\00:18:25.40
And it's beautiful because
as they see the power of God,
00:18:25.43\00:18:30.04
then more and more
requests are coming in.
00:18:30.07\00:18:32.94
And that's what
word encourages me.
00:18:32.97\00:18:35.41
Amen.
00:18:35.44\00:18:36.78
And let us go out.
00:18:36.81\00:18:39.61
You know, we always
have an outline with us
00:18:39.65\00:18:41.18
whenever we do this topic.
00:18:41.22\00:18:42.55
It just kind of
keeps us on track.
00:18:42.58\00:18:44.12
But there is an
example in Ezekiel 22.
00:18:44.15\00:18:49.36
Ezekiel 22:30-31.
00:18:49.39\00:18:51.89
And as I talked
about the gap, you know,
00:18:51.93\00:18:53.60
the bridge between where
we are and where we can be
00:18:53.63\00:18:57.00
between our
trials and tribulations,
00:18:57.03\00:18:58.53
between our dark
moments and our bright moments
00:18:58.57\00:19:01.34
where God breaks in.
00:19:01.37\00:19:03.07
I like to have my wife, honey,
read this first one for us.
00:19:03.10\00:19:07.61
Ezekiel 22:30 and 31,
00:19:07.64\00:19:12.25
because this is
saying how God...
00:19:12.28\00:19:14.92
Well, read and we'll
explain it afterwards.
00:19:14.95\00:19:16.85
"So I sought for a man among
them who would make a wall,
00:19:16.89\00:19:22.02
and stand in the gap
before Me on behalf of the land,
00:19:22.06\00:19:26.80
that I should not
destroy it, but I found no one.
00:19:26.83\00:19:30.97
Therefore, I have poured
out My indignation on them.
00:19:31.00\00:19:35.70
I have consumed them
with the fire of My wrath,
00:19:35.74\00:19:40.08
and I have recompensed
their deeds on their own heads,
00:19:40.11\00:19:45.11
says the Lord God."
00:19:45.15\00:19:47.75
So if somebody...
it's kind of amazing.
00:19:47.78\00:19:50.35
How did I pick this scripture?
00:19:50.39\00:19:51.82
I know. You might build wall.
00:19:51.85\00:19:53.19
Build a wall.
00:19:56.22\00:19:57.56
It's such a political
pun now in our community.
00:19:57.59\00:19:58.93
Yeah.
00:19:58.96\00:20:00.30
But the point
that I want to make it,
00:20:00.33\00:20:01.66
somebody to stand in the gap.
00:20:01.70\00:20:03.37
If someone were
willing to stand in the gap,
00:20:03.40\00:20:06.84
then the Lord
would, as I read it,
00:20:06.87\00:20:09.20
He would have
withheld His indignation,
00:20:09.24\00:20:11.74
but He said, "There's
no one standing in the gap.
00:20:11.77\00:20:15.74
There's no one
really standing in the gap."
00:20:15.78\00:20:18.68
And can you think of examples
00:20:18.71\00:20:20.05
and I always like to open
it up for us to share stories.
00:20:20.08\00:20:22.78
Some of you
might think of examples
00:20:22.82\00:20:24.15
where somebody said,
"You know, last week,
00:20:24.19\00:20:27.66
I just was wishing that
somebody was there for me."
00:20:27.69\00:20:32.89
I didn't get a phone call,
00:20:32.93\00:20:34.73
I was at the
lowest point of my life.
00:20:34.76\00:20:37.00
I felt like my world
was going to fall apart
00:20:37.03\00:20:38.87
and there was no
one there for me.
00:20:38.90\00:20:41.00
And so when we
think about this text,
00:20:41.04\00:20:43.94
in what ways can we be,
can we stand in the gap?
00:20:43.97\00:20:47.31
Let's start with our family.
00:20:47.34\00:20:49.41
Yeah, everyone.
00:20:49.44\00:20:50.78
There's someone in their family
that doesn't know the Lord,
00:20:50.81\00:20:54.02
or have a very weak
relationship with the Lord.
00:20:54.05\00:20:57.59
Can you think of
any in my family?
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.22
Oh, yeah, and mine.
00:20:59.25\00:21:01.16
Yeah, I have siblings
I pray for all the time
00:21:01.19\00:21:04.49
and, you know, everyday
we pray for your sister,
00:21:04.53\00:21:07.50
and her family,
00:21:07.53\00:21:08.86
and your brother,
and their families.
00:21:08.90\00:21:11.63
And it's constant, you've
been praying for your sister
00:21:11.67\00:21:14.60
all our married life.
00:21:14.64\00:21:15.97
Since she was 16. Yeah.
00:21:16.00\00:21:17.77
And we didn't see
the impact of that
00:21:17.81\00:21:19.77
until one day
she called and said,
00:21:19.81\00:21:21.14
"God has been so good to me."
00:21:21.18\00:21:23.11
Xenia? Well, we
think of the Bible.
00:21:23.14\00:21:25.85
Job, he says that he
prayed for his family,
00:21:25.88\00:21:29.28
each of his
children by name, you know.
00:21:29.32\00:21:32.89
You know for me, my parents
have been my interceders.
00:21:32.92\00:21:38.73
And they have prayed for me
00:21:38.76\00:21:40.76
and if it wasn't
for them praying for me,
00:21:40.80\00:21:43.77
I wouldn't be the
person that I am today,
00:21:43.80\00:21:46.60
and where I am today.
00:21:46.63\00:21:48.17
I know that there were
many times where I've been in...
00:21:48.20\00:21:53.24
My parents would pray for me
while I'm driving on the road
00:21:53.27\00:21:55.44
that the Lord would protect me.
00:21:55.48\00:21:56.88
And I remember
an incident in 2010,
00:21:56.91\00:22:00.38
I was driving home from church,
00:22:00.42\00:22:03.59
and I had just
accepted the call,
00:22:03.62\00:22:06.62
the pastor has
spoken on the prodigal son,
00:22:06.65\00:22:08.86
I had just
rededicated my life to Christ.
00:22:08.89\00:22:11.39
And I was
driving home from church,
00:22:11.43\00:22:13.73
and it was icy
and very slippery.
00:22:13.76\00:22:18.20
And all I remember is
waking up in the hospital bed.
00:22:18.23\00:22:24.34
And my pastor at the
time was there at the bed,
00:22:24.37\00:22:27.81
and the nurses came
to the room and said,
00:22:27.84\00:22:30.35
"Young lady,
you were very lucky.
00:22:30.38\00:22:32.35
You were in a car
accident with a bus."
00:22:32.38\00:22:35.15
And the school bus
had actually rolled,
00:22:35.18\00:22:39.69
it was on top of
me, I'm on driver side.
00:22:39.72\00:22:42.06
They had to use the Jaws of
Life to get me out of the car.
00:22:42.09\00:22:45.89
And I walked out of the accident
00:22:45.93\00:22:49.03
with no broken bones,
no scratches, nothing.
00:22:49.06\00:22:52.57
And I remember, we went
to the scene of the car,
00:22:52.60\00:22:56.14
and afterwards we
looked at the car and the seat,
00:22:56.17\00:22:59.54
the driver's seat where I
had been driving had broken
00:22:59.57\00:23:03.01
and that was reclined back.
00:23:03.04\00:23:04.78
And I believe the
Lord broke my seat.
00:23:04.81\00:23:07.12
If it hadn't been broken,
00:23:07.15\00:23:08.48
the bus would
have hit me head on...
00:23:08.52\00:23:10.29
Wow!
00:23:10.32\00:23:11.65
And my life would
have been taken out.
00:23:11.69\00:23:13.02
Oh! Wow!
00:23:13.05\00:23:14.39
So the devil is as roaring lion,
00:23:14.42\00:23:15.76
seeking who he may devour
00:23:15.79\00:23:17.13
and all of us who are
on God side are a target
00:23:17.16\00:23:20.00
and the devil knows that.
00:23:20.03\00:23:21.46
And so, if it's not for
us interceding and praying
00:23:21.50\00:23:24.07
for those around
us, then, you know,
00:23:24.10\00:23:26.50
we would not be
where we are today.
00:23:26.53\00:23:28.64
That's right. That's right.
00:23:28.67\00:23:30.01
Amen, Amen.
00:23:30.04\00:23:31.37
Boy, that's...
00:23:31.41\00:23:32.74
What a story!
00:23:32.77\00:23:34.11
Yeah, when you
think back, you think,
00:23:34.14\00:23:35.48
wow, my life was
spared because, as you said,
00:23:35.51\00:23:37.88
when you leave the house,
your parents pray for you.
00:23:37.91\00:23:40.18
I remember years ago,
I won't mention his name,
00:23:40.22\00:23:42.05
but there was a
couple that we know very well
00:23:42.08\00:23:44.15
in Fairfield, California,
00:23:44.19\00:23:46.22
and the husband who had not yet
become a member of our church,
00:23:46.25\00:23:50.39
you know, we tried to speak.
00:23:50.43\00:23:51.76
He said...
00:23:51.79\00:23:53.70
he woke up one night
and the bed was empty.
00:23:53.73\00:23:57.40
And he wondered
where his wife was,
00:23:57.43\00:23:59.40
and he peeked into living room,
and he saw her there praying.
00:23:59.43\00:24:02.94
And he knew that
she was praying for him,
00:24:02.97\00:24:05.71
and she had said to us,
00:24:05.74\00:24:08.04
"Don't leave this church
until you baptize my husband."
00:24:08.08\00:24:11.78
That was amazing, remember that?
00:24:11.81\00:24:13.18
Should I say the name?
00:24:13.21\00:24:14.55
They have unusual first...
00:24:14.58\00:24:16.02
I'll just say the
first name, Lewis and Clark.
00:24:16.05\00:24:18.55
Who do you think
of? Superman, right?
00:24:18.59\00:24:21.99
Yeah, we call him Clark.
00:24:22.02\00:24:23.43
And it was amazing, so...
00:24:23.46\00:24:25.76
and praise the Lord.
00:24:25.79\00:24:27.46
Before we left, he was baptized.
00:24:27.50\00:24:29.10
Yes. Yes, he was.
00:24:29.13\00:24:30.57
But he called me
into his home one day
00:24:30.60\00:24:32.37
and he said, "I want
to tell you something
00:24:32.40\00:24:33.90
that my wife doesn't even know."
00:24:33.94\00:24:35.80
He told me his struggle.
00:24:35.84\00:24:37.17
He said, "When you
came to visit us once,
00:24:37.21\00:24:39.37
behind that portable bar
was a whole lot of alcohol.
00:24:39.41\00:24:42.44
She doesn't even know,
there's none there anymore.
00:24:42.48\00:24:44.41
I got rid of all of it.
00:24:44.45\00:24:45.81
He told me, how
there're many nights he woke up
00:24:45.85\00:24:47.52
and she was praying for
him, interceding for him.
00:24:47.55\00:24:50.59
And she was on her
knees, he saw her and he said...
00:24:50.62\00:24:53.09
he couldn't
understand it until one day,
00:24:53.12\00:24:55.06
he could not find
his keys to his vehicle,
00:24:55.09\00:24:58.43
and he was going to
be late, lived, worked
00:24:58.46\00:25:00.20
all in San Francisco and
he lived a good ways away.
00:25:00.23\00:25:03.53
Finally found his
keys, rushed out of the door,
00:25:03.57\00:25:06.13
and he said,
had he left earlier,
00:25:06.17\00:25:09.34
there was a
multiple car pile out there.
00:25:09.37\00:25:11.47
And he said, "I would have
been at that spot at that time."
00:25:11.51\00:25:15.78
And he says, "From then on,
00:25:15.81\00:25:17.65
I never questioned
God when difficulty arose.
00:25:17.68\00:25:20.65
He wants me to
leave late for a reason."
00:25:20.68\00:25:23.25
But his wife
was praying for him.
00:25:23.28\00:25:25.52
And the Lord does
something on our behalf
00:25:25.55\00:25:27.19
when we pray for people.
00:25:27.22\00:25:28.66
Now this is a huge scripture,
let's go to the next one.
00:25:28.69\00:25:30.56
I'm going to have...
00:25:30.59\00:25:32.43
I'm going to have
Donald read Job 42:10,
00:25:32.46\00:25:35.06
because who can you think of
that had more trials than Job.
00:25:35.10\00:25:38.97
Now, you might
say, "Well, I do."
00:25:39.00\00:25:42.00
And you could very well be
in that category to some degree.
00:25:42.04\00:25:46.47
But how did Job's
trials become resolved?
00:25:46.51\00:25:53.28
I'm going to have
Donald read Job 42:10.
00:25:53.31\00:25:57.42
Verse 10.
00:25:57.45\00:25:58.79
It says there, "And the Lord
turned the captivity of Job,
00:25:58.82\00:26:02.66
when he prayed for his friends:
00:26:02.69\00:26:06.43
also the Lord gave Job
twice as much as he had before."
00:26:06.46\00:26:09.66
That's incredible to me that,
00:26:09.70\00:26:11.50
here's Job through all these
trials and tests, you know,
00:26:11.53\00:26:14.80
and it comes to his
mind that all he does is
00:26:14.84\00:26:16.67
pray for these
friends who were actually
00:26:16.71\00:26:18.04
trying to turn
him away from God.
00:26:18.07\00:26:19.91
And here he is, he's pleading
and praying on their behalf
00:26:19.94\00:26:22.21
and look what God does for him.
00:26:22.24\00:26:24.05
His heart was with
his friends, you know,
00:26:24.08\00:26:25.61
you could tell he
loved his friends.
00:26:25.65\00:26:26.98
I mean, you're
going through all this
00:26:27.02\00:26:28.35
and they're trying to
condemn you and come at you
00:26:28.38\00:26:29.75
and here you're
praying for those people.
00:26:29.78\00:26:31.15
It's good to pray for
those that hurt you, yes.
00:26:31.19\00:26:32.52
Sing for your enemies.
00:26:32.55\00:26:34.42
Now that you've mention that,
00:26:34.46\00:26:36.83
in the Ellen G White's writings,
00:26:36.86\00:26:39.93
she has a book about prayer.
00:26:39.96\00:26:41.86
Yes.
00:26:41.90\00:26:43.23
In the chapter of
intercessory prayer,
00:26:43.26\00:26:46.77
there is a quote that says,
00:26:46.80\00:26:48.44
"Let us pray not
only for ourselves
00:26:48.47\00:26:52.37
but for those who have hurt us
and are continuing to hurt us."
00:26:52.41\00:26:58.81
So right now, we're
mentioning, you know,
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.72
that it's not
only for the people
00:27:00.75\00:27:03.15
we love that we pray,
00:27:03.18\00:27:05.42
but we have to
pray for our enemies
00:27:05.45\00:27:08.02
or people that hurt us,
because that, in a sense
00:27:08.06\00:27:11.39
Job's friends were
hurting him, you know.
00:27:11.43\00:27:14.93
And he could tell, he
didn't know how to tell them,
00:27:14.96\00:27:18.40
but he could pray for them
because they were his friends.
00:27:18.43\00:27:22.10
But there's other people
that might not be our friends
00:27:22.14\00:27:25.21
and are hurting us.
00:27:25.24\00:27:26.57
And it's better to leave
them in the hands of the Lord
00:27:26.61\00:27:28.64
than take it
into your own hands.
00:27:28.68\00:27:30.18
Yes. Oh, man.
00:27:30.21\00:27:31.55
Exactly. That's very true.
00:27:31.58\00:27:33.21
You know, this past
week, two weeks ago,
00:27:33.25\00:27:35.82
when I was at
the prison ministry,
00:27:35.85\00:27:38.05
one of the guys said,
"Hey, I want to be baptized.
00:27:38.09\00:27:40.66
I want to become an Adventist."
00:27:40.69\00:27:42.62
And he says, "What
do I do on the Sabbath?"
00:27:42.66\00:27:46.13
And I said, they
said, "What is that you do?"
00:27:46.16\00:27:47.96
Well, I go to church.
I spend time with God.
00:27:48.00\00:27:51.03
And as we look at this, when
we start praying for others,
00:27:51.07\00:27:55.67
when we make a list of
individuals that are in need,
00:27:55.70\00:27:58.37
when we look at the need
that is in the community,
00:27:58.41\00:28:01.64
in our home, in our country,
and we write all that down,
00:28:01.68\00:28:07.38
you can be praying for hours.
00:28:07.42\00:28:08.95
It's like that story
you told us in the sermon,
00:28:08.98\00:28:11.79
that gentleman
that told his servant,
00:28:11.82\00:28:13.82
"Please, wake me up, you know,
00:28:13.86\00:28:15.56
get me out of my
prayer in about 15 minutes."
00:28:15.59\00:28:18.19
And then two hours went by
00:28:18.23\00:28:19.56
and she saw that he was
still fervent in his prayer
00:28:19.59\00:28:23.87
and then she said, "Oh, no.
00:28:23.90\00:28:25.53
I have to tell him."
00:28:25.57\00:28:27.14
And she touches him and
says, "Master, it's up."
00:28:27.17\00:28:29.87
And he says, "Oh,
how quickly 15 minutes go
00:28:29.90\00:28:32.87
in the presence of God."
00:28:32.91\00:28:34.64
When you start
understanding the power,
00:28:34.68\00:28:38.21
A, the power of prayer
00:28:38.25\00:28:39.71
and you start understanding
what God expects from you,
00:28:39.75\00:28:42.82
and you start praying for others
00:28:42.85\00:28:44.52
and you start seeing result,
00:28:44.55\00:28:46.22
you don't have
enough time to pray.
00:28:46.25\00:28:47.86
No, you don't. That's true.
00:28:47.89\00:28:49.86
Does it go by fast?
00:28:49.89\00:28:51.39
When you start praying,
00:28:51.43\00:28:52.76
especially when
you have a prayer book,
00:28:52.79\00:28:54.60
I have names too,
but the Lord will put,
00:28:54.63\00:28:56.93
bring to mind those people
that you need to pray for.
00:28:56.97\00:29:00.50
Some people you
don't want to pray for.
00:29:00.54\00:29:02.40
As you says, you know,
you have to pray for them.
00:29:02.44\00:29:06.41
It's actually good for you too
00:29:06.44\00:29:08.68
to actually pray
for those that hurt you.
00:29:08.71\00:29:12.01
That's good and despitefully
use you, the Bible says.
00:29:12.05\00:29:15.88
Yeah, there was a quote
that I actually read out
00:29:15.92\00:29:17.89
of Steps to Christ, and
you're hitting right on it.
00:29:17.92\00:29:20.36
It's important why
we get out and do work.
00:29:20.39\00:29:23.39
It says, "When men take
themselves out of social life,
00:29:23.43\00:29:26.53
away from the
sphere of Christian duty
00:29:26.56\00:29:28.73
and cross bearing,
00:29:28.76\00:29:30.10
when they cease to work
earnestly for the Master,
00:29:30.13\00:29:32.20
who worked earnestly for them,
00:29:32.23\00:29:33.94
they lose the
subject matter of prayer
00:29:33.97\00:29:35.87
and have no
incentive to devotion.
00:29:35.90\00:29:38.47
Their prayers become
personal and selfish.
00:29:38.51\00:29:42.14
They cannot pray in
regard to the wants of humanity
00:29:42.18\00:29:44.55
or the up-building
of Christ's kingdom,
00:29:44.58\00:29:46.82
pleading for
strength wherewith to work."
00:29:46.85\00:29:49.78
So they start
becoming internally focused
00:29:49.82\00:29:52.55
on their prayer.
00:29:52.59\00:29:53.92
If you're not
interceding on people's behalf
00:29:53.96\00:29:55.29
or getting involved
in the community and...
00:29:55.32\00:29:56.99
very important.
00:29:57.03\00:29:58.36
There's a quote.
00:29:58.39\00:29:59.79
I want to ask Katrina.
00:29:59.83\00:30:01.96
On the syllabus here,
there's a couple of quotes here.
00:30:02.00\00:30:04.53
I want you to share
it with our audience.
00:30:04.57\00:30:06.17
It's about some
wonderful quotes.
00:30:06.20\00:30:07.67
We did a week of
prayer on prayer.
00:30:07.70\00:30:10.11
That was a
blessing. Oh, it was powerful.
00:30:10.14\00:30:12.11
Was it powerful? Amen.
00:30:12.14\00:30:13.48
Don't want to stop.
00:30:13.51\00:30:14.84
It was so good, you know.
00:30:14.88\00:30:16.88
And this wasn't the general one
00:30:16.91\00:30:18.25
that was being done on
the general conference level
00:30:18.28\00:30:21.02
but, well, the suggestion
came at our board meeting.
00:30:21.05\00:30:23.99
And we said, "You know,
for our church to understand
00:30:24.02\00:30:25.65
where we're going to
be moving in the New Year,
00:30:25.69\00:30:27.12
we need to come
before the Lord in prayer,
00:30:27.16\00:30:29.06
intercessory prayer,
even counterfeit prayer.
00:30:29.09\00:30:32.56
Things that will counteract...
00:30:32.59\00:30:35.10
so many
different avenues of prayer
00:30:35.13\00:30:36.87
and these are
some of the quotations
00:30:36.90\00:30:38.60
that came out of the chapter.
00:30:38.63\00:30:40.94
In the book, "Prayer",
about intercessory prayer.
00:30:40.97\00:30:43.20
I'm going to have
Katrina read those for us.
00:30:43.24\00:30:44.71
Sure.
00:30:44.74\00:30:46.07
"There are those all
around you who have woes,
00:30:46.11\00:30:49.24
who need words of
sympathy, love, and tenderness,
00:30:49.28\00:30:53.82
and our humble,
pitying prayers."
00:30:53.85\00:30:55.82
Now, there are those
of us around us that...
00:30:55.85\00:30:58.19
Mocked by everyday.
00:30:58.22\00:31:00.32
Even in our families.
00:31:00.36\00:31:01.72
Yeah.
00:31:01.76\00:31:04.46
That's why sometimes it's good
when people put on Facebook...
00:31:04.49\00:31:08.33
What? Pray for me.
00:31:08.36\00:31:09.76
Yes.
00:31:09.80\00:31:11.13
And Angie is
mentioning, "Oh, do you know
00:31:11.17\00:31:12.50
who had put on
Facebook that they need prayer?"
00:31:12.53\00:31:14.70
Let's use
Facebook in the right way.
00:31:14.74\00:31:17.24
Not putting on your
junk and your gossip
00:31:17.27\00:31:20.14
and say, "Is there anyone..."
00:31:20.18\00:31:23.14
I will challenge you,
if you are Facebook user,
00:31:23.18\00:31:25.28
chances are
somebody watching ears,
00:31:25.31\00:31:27.32
or somebody listening
ears, just put on there,
00:31:27.35\00:31:30.62
"Are there any of you
that have prayer requests?"
00:31:30.65\00:31:32.82
Yes, we've done
that. Please put it.
00:31:32.85\00:31:34.56
We did that
apparently, didn't we?
00:31:34.59\00:31:36.83
And as we were taking our local
prayers, what were you doing?
00:31:36.86\00:31:39.43
I was on Facebook getting
prayer requests from people
00:31:39.46\00:31:42.36
and I was putting
it in my prayer book.
00:31:42.40\00:31:44.53
Lots of people. Lot
of people need prayer.
00:31:44.57\00:31:46.30
Yeah.
00:31:46.33\00:31:47.67
But when we
become self-me-focus,
00:31:47.70\00:31:49.90
we forget about
praying for people.
00:31:49.94\00:31:51.87
Continue that quotation.
00:31:51.91\00:31:53.54
"There are souls who
have lost their courage;
00:31:53.58\00:31:55.74
speak to them, pray for them.
00:31:55.78\00:31:57.98
There are those who
need the bread of life.
00:31:58.01\00:32:00.58
Read to them
from the Word of God.
00:32:00.62\00:32:02.82
There is a soul
sickness no balm can reach,
00:32:02.85\00:32:06.15
no medicine can heal.
00:32:06.19\00:32:08.32
Pray for those, and
bring them to Jesus Christ.
00:32:08.36\00:32:11.29
And in all your work,
Christ will be present
00:32:11.33\00:32:13.90
to make
impressions upon human hearts."
00:32:13.93\00:32:16.80
So when we pray for them
00:32:16.83\00:32:18.17
and bring them into
the presence of God,
00:32:18.20\00:32:19.53
all of a sudden, he
could now press upon.
00:32:19.57\00:32:21.34
It's like taking a
sick man to the doctor.
00:32:21.37\00:32:24.21
Doctor can't do
anything from the distance,
00:32:24.24\00:32:26.98
but we bring
them to God in prayer.
00:32:27.01\00:32:28.88
So he can work actively.
00:32:28.91\00:32:30.25
You know, pastor, about
two or three months ago,
00:32:30.28\00:32:33.18
Xenia was impressed
to send Step to Christ
00:32:33.21\00:32:35.52
to all of our town.
00:32:35.55\00:32:38.05
And we received
three cards from them back.
00:32:38.09\00:32:41.62
One of those card
said, "well, we want prayer."
00:32:41.66\00:32:45.39
And we went this past
weekend and we visited them.
00:32:45.43\00:32:48.66
The first lady,
Holly is her name,
00:32:48.70\00:32:51.73
she has diabetes.
00:32:51.77\00:32:54.87
And we prayed for her.
00:32:54.90\00:32:57.01
She gave us the
opportunity to pray with her.
00:32:57.04\00:33:00.28
The second home, the
one that asked for prayer,
00:33:00.31\00:33:02.91
there was nobody there anymore.
00:33:02.94\00:33:04.85
You know, so
there must have been
00:33:04.88\00:33:06.21
something serious that happened
00:33:06.25\00:33:07.82
and we were so distraught
00:33:07.85\00:33:09.82
that we weren't able
to get to her on time.
00:33:09.85\00:33:13.89
The third family that we went
to visit, they were telling us,
00:33:13.92\00:33:17.53
"Oh, our parents passed
away, this is their home,
00:33:17.56\00:33:20.30
we're only here
on the weekends."
00:33:20.33\00:33:23.00
And we said,
"Can we pray for you?"
00:33:23.03\00:33:24.97
And they says,
"Oh, don't bother.
00:33:25.00\00:33:27.14
We already
prayed with our meal."
00:33:27.17\00:33:29.47
And it's just, it's
amazing when you look at,
00:33:29.50\00:33:33.27
when you're
trying to work for God,
00:33:33.31\00:33:35.24
when you're trying to do
even within your community,
00:33:35.28\00:33:38.75
there's always going
to be different response.
00:33:38.78\00:33:41.18
There's going to be
individuals that have the need,
00:33:41.22\00:33:44.02
and you are able to help them
00:33:44.05\00:33:45.75
and give them
assurance right away.
00:33:45.79\00:33:47.82
There are some that just
are not present, you know,
00:33:47.86\00:33:51.36
and there are some
that just reject, you know,
00:33:51.39\00:33:54.23
that communication
with God altogether.
00:33:54.26\00:33:57.20
And this passages
here pretty much tell us,
00:33:57.23\00:34:00.54
we need not forget about
the individuals around us,
00:34:00.57\00:34:05.07
because even those who are not
present, we can pray for them,
00:34:05.11\00:34:09.84
because God
knows where they are.
00:34:09.88\00:34:12.35
God is aware of their situation.
00:34:12.38\00:34:15.55
And if we truly believe,
00:34:15.58\00:34:18.75
and this is the part
that I liked with Matthew 8:8.
00:34:18.79\00:34:22.86
And it's about the
centurion, and it says,
00:34:22.89\00:34:26.59
"The centurion
answered and said, "Lord,
00:34:26.63\00:34:29.26
I am not worthy that You
should come under my roof.
00:34:29.30\00:34:33.44
But only speak a word, and
my servant will be healed."
00:34:33.47\00:34:37.44
Wow. Wow.
00:34:37.47\00:34:38.81
What power!
00:34:38.84\00:34:40.18
You know, if we can come
to God with this assurance,
00:34:40.21\00:34:43.91
imagine the
things we are able to do.
00:34:43.95\00:34:45.71
In that simplicity of faith,
00:34:45.75\00:34:48.58
not asking God to do
something great like Naaman.
00:34:48.62\00:34:52.35
He had all these
gifts to give to those
00:34:52.39\00:34:55.19
who would come to contingency.
00:34:55.22\00:34:56.93
Let me give you
all these things.
00:34:56.96\00:34:58.33
And it was amazing
when the servant said,
00:34:58.36\00:35:02.90
"So what does he want me to do?"
00:35:02.93\00:35:04.83
He said, "Go, wash.
00:35:04.87\00:35:06.90
Go, take a bath."
00:35:06.94\00:35:08.27
He's like, "I am...
00:35:08.30\00:35:10.61
Do you know who
I am? I'm Naaman."
00:35:10.64\00:35:12.64
But on the other side, we
know the story how it ended,
00:35:12.67\00:35:14.88
he finally humbled himself.
00:35:14.91\00:35:16.24
But here's the centurion...
00:35:16.28\00:35:17.61
It's like telling
Donald Trump, "Go, wash."
00:35:17.65\00:35:20.82
You know, a
president, any president
00:35:20.85\00:35:23.18
since he's our president.
00:35:23.22\00:35:24.55
Right. "Go, wash
in this dirty river."
00:35:24.59\00:35:27.86
"What? Me?" And
it's a humbling thing.
00:35:27.89\00:35:29.29
"Excuse me, who do
you think you are?"
00:35:29.32\00:35:33.63
She said that we're grand.
00:35:33.66\00:35:37.10
But it's amazing.
00:35:37.13\00:35:39.63
We are in the midst of a nation
00:35:39.67\00:35:41.77
that needs a lot of
intercessory prayer.
00:35:41.80\00:35:44.77
But look at another
example, let's look at Moses.
00:35:44.81\00:35:47.21
Who didn't read yet?
00:35:47.24\00:35:48.94
I'm going to have my
brother Luis read that for us,
00:35:48.98\00:35:51.38
the second example about
Moses and intercessory prayer.
00:35:51.41\00:35:55.12
Yeah, it's Exodus 32:11 to 12.
00:35:55.15\00:35:59.82
It says, "Then Moses
pleaded with the Lord his God,
00:35:59.85\00:36:03.73
and said: "Lord, why
does Your wrath burn hot
00:36:03.76\00:36:07.83
against Your people
00:36:07.86\00:36:09.40
whom You have brought
out of the land of Egypt
00:36:09.43\00:36:12.23
with great power
and with a mighty hand?"
00:36:12.27\00:36:16.20
Keep going. Just
further, one more.
00:36:16.24\00:36:18.87
"Why should the
Egyptians speak, and say,
00:36:18.91\00:36:21.94
'He brought them
out to harm them,
00:36:21.98\00:36:25.88
to kill them in the mountains,
00:36:25.91\00:36:27.95
and to consume them
from the face of the earth'?
00:36:27.98\00:36:32.12
Turn from Your fierce wrath,
00:36:32.15\00:36:35.79
and relent from the
harm of Your people."
00:36:35.82\00:36:40.50
And so Moses is interceding.
00:36:40.53\00:36:42.20
Moses, in this
example is like Christ.
00:36:42.23\00:36:45.27
He's an
advocate. He's an advocate.
00:36:45.30\00:36:46.84
He said, "Lord, I know
there are bunch of misfits
00:36:46.87\00:36:51.44
and this is a horrible journey.
00:36:51.47\00:36:53.88
They've been
pleading to get out,
00:36:53.91\00:36:55.51
now they're out, but
look how they're acting.
00:36:55.54\00:36:57.45
Lord, if you
get rid of them now,
00:36:57.48\00:37:00.92
all the surrounding
nations are going to say,
00:37:00.95\00:37:02.88
"Hmm, He just brought
them out to kill them.""
00:37:02.92\00:37:05.05
The power of
intercessory prayer,
00:37:05.09\00:37:06.86
and I had the
privilege of working in pastoral
00:37:06.89\00:37:09.19
for a few weeks.
00:37:09.22\00:37:10.56
And I had a lady
frantically who had called in,
00:37:10.59\00:37:13.23
and sure is
concerned about her daughter.
00:37:13.26\00:37:14.86
Actually, she told me that
00:37:14.90\00:37:16.23
her daughter was
demonically possessed.
00:37:16.26\00:37:18.33
Wouldn't let her mother
see the three grandchildren
00:37:18.37\00:37:22.67
so that afternoon I
pray with her on the phone.
00:37:22.70\00:37:25.11
The very next day,
I believe was Mitch,
00:37:25.14\00:37:27.54
we got a very
exciting woman on the phone.
00:37:27.58\00:37:29.21
She said, "She
want to speak to me."
00:37:29.24\00:37:30.95
She says, "You'll
not believe what happened
00:37:30.98\00:37:33.21
after you prayed with me,
00:37:33.25\00:37:34.72
my daughter
instantly gave me a phone call.
00:37:34.75\00:37:37.09
And she said, "Come on over,
you can see the grandchildren."
00:37:37.12\00:37:40.19
She wants to take her
kids to Christian school.
00:37:40.22\00:37:42.52
She's going back to church."
00:37:42.56\00:37:43.93
Amen. This is incredible.
00:37:43.96\00:37:45.99
She said, "I just
thank you so much."
00:37:46.03\00:37:47.36
And I'm like, "I
didn't do a thing."
00:37:47.40\00:37:48.73
"Fervent prayer of a righteous
man or woman availeth much."
00:37:48.76\00:37:51.93
The power of
intercessory prayer,
00:37:51.97\00:37:54.07
we are kind of
foolish if we don't use that.
00:37:54.10\00:37:56.04
You know, God has
given us that tool.
00:37:56.07\00:37:57.74
And this example
that Luis just read,
00:37:57.77\00:37:59.97
but, honey,
read the next passage
00:38:00.01\00:38:01.74
right below that Psalms 106:23,
00:38:01.78\00:38:04.58
because this is
exactly what happened.
00:38:04.61\00:38:06.48
Look at how David,
the Psalmist reflex back
00:38:06.51\00:38:09.25
on what happened here.
00:38:09.28\00:38:11.02
"Therefore He said
that He would destroy them,
00:38:11.05\00:38:14.26
had not Moses His chosen one
stood before Him in the breach,
00:38:14.29\00:38:20.00
to turn away His
wrath, lest He destroy them."
00:38:20.03\00:38:23.97
What did Moses do?
00:38:24.00\00:38:25.33
Stand in the
breach. Stand in the breach.
00:38:25.37\00:38:26.70
Another word for the gap.
00:38:26.74\00:38:28.07
In the gap, yeah. Moses said.
00:38:28.10\00:38:30.07
And have you ever had anybody
stand in the gap for you?
00:38:30.11\00:38:33.01
You know, one of my favorite
example of this is when,
00:38:33.04\00:38:36.64
I believe Solomon
in 2 Chronicles 7:14
00:38:36.68\00:38:39.68
prayed, if my
people who are called by...
00:38:39.71\00:38:41.82
When the Lord said,
00:38:41.85\00:38:43.18
"If My people who
are called by My name
00:38:43.22\00:38:45.12
will humble themselves and
turn from the wicked ways."
00:38:45.15\00:38:48.79
Then He would hear from
heaven and heal their land.
00:38:48.82\00:38:51.46
That's right.
00:38:51.49\00:38:52.83
That's a tremendous
example of intercessory prayer,
00:38:52.86\00:38:55.03
but it has two major words.
00:38:55.06\00:38:56.43
What's the first
word? If and then.
00:38:56.46\00:38:58.60
Then.
00:38:58.63\00:38:59.97
If My people, then.
00:39:00.00\00:39:01.84
So the intercessory
act is not just something
00:39:01.87\00:39:03.94
that somebody
does in you r behalf,
00:39:03.97\00:39:05.31
but it's something that
you have to participate with.
00:39:05.34\00:39:08.41
Solomon, the prayer,
00:39:08.44\00:39:10.11
but then there's
something you need to do,
00:39:10.15\00:39:12.31
turn and then I'll
hear, forgive and heal.
00:39:12.35\00:39:17.65
And there are so many
people that want to pray,
00:39:17.69\00:39:19.75
and I want to add this, there
are so many people that say,
00:39:19.79\00:39:21.92
"Pray for me."
00:39:21.96\00:39:23.29
But I remember, I
won't mention his name
00:39:23.32\00:39:25.09
but one of your
family members called
00:39:25.13\00:39:26.46
and said, "I need prayer."
00:39:26.49\00:39:29.03
And I said, "What
you need to also do
00:39:29.06\00:39:30.73
is make right decisions."
00:39:30.77\00:39:33.54
Right?
00:39:33.57\00:39:34.90
I mean, you keep
getting your hand bitten,
00:39:34.94\00:39:36.27
because you keep putting it
through the fence of the dog.
00:39:36.30\00:39:38.67
Don't pray that
your dog bite will heal,
00:39:38.71\00:39:40.98
stop putting your hand through
the fence as an illustration.
00:39:41.01\00:39:44.05
And that's what
happens often times.
00:39:44.08\00:39:46.21
But there are other
times that people abound.
00:39:46.25\00:39:49.75
Who didn't read
the scripture yet?
00:39:49.78\00:39:51.12
Sister, Xenia, look
at the third scripture
00:39:51.15\00:39:53.46
here in Acts 12:5.
00:39:53.49\00:39:56.16
It says, "Peter was
therefore kept in prison,
00:39:56.19\00:40:00.26
but constant prayer was offered
to God for him by the church."
00:40:00.30\00:40:05.63
Who's praying for
Peter when he was in prison?
00:40:05.67\00:40:07.94
The church. The church.
00:40:07.97\00:40:09.47
And what kind of prayer was it?
00:40:09.50\00:40:10.84
Constant. Constant.
00:40:10.87\00:40:12.21
Constant.
00:40:12.24\00:40:13.58
Can't give up.
00:40:13.61\00:40:14.94
I heard one person once say,
00:40:14.98\00:40:16.31
"Why do we have
to keep mentioning,
00:40:16.34\00:40:18.48
praying over and over?
00:40:18.51\00:40:20.92
God already knows what we need."
00:40:20.95\00:40:23.39
What kind of
prayer did they have?
00:40:23.42\00:40:24.75
Importunate
prayer. Uh, say that word.
00:40:24.79\00:40:26.39
Importunate prayer.
00:40:26.42\00:40:28.22
We learned that and
that is not letting go,
00:40:28.26\00:40:31.16
persistent with God,
persevering with God.
00:40:31.19\00:40:35.16
Importunate prayer.
00:40:35.20\00:40:36.53
Importunate
prayer, we learned that.
00:40:36.56\00:40:38.07
That's not a word we use today,
00:40:38.10\00:40:39.43
but now I'm going
to start using it.
00:40:39.47\00:40:40.80
Yeah.
00:40:40.84\00:40:42.17
But when you looked it up,
00:40:42.20\00:40:43.61
it said praying
almost to the point of...
00:40:43.64\00:40:46.51
Nagging.
00:40:46.54\00:40:48.58
Yeah.
00:40:48.61\00:40:50.15
It's almost like
nagging the Lord.
00:40:50.18\00:40:52.91
And what example, remember
the example, the unjust judge.
00:40:52.95\00:40:56.15
Remember the story in
the Bible where the widow...
00:40:56.18\00:40:58.12
She's praying and the
unjust judge finally breaks down
00:40:58.15\00:41:01.62
and hears her prayer.
00:41:01.66\00:41:02.99
Well, let me make a comparison.
00:41:03.02\00:41:05.29
God is not an
unjust judge. No, no.
00:41:05.33\00:41:07.40
When we wondered why do we have
to pray in an importunate way.
00:41:07.43\00:41:11.53
What we discovered
is importunate prayer
00:41:11.57\00:41:14.70
brings us to the point
where we start changing.
00:41:14.74\00:41:18.87
Our first prayer may have been,
00:41:18.91\00:41:20.51
"Lord, I really need
a job in Jesus' name.
00:41:20.54\00:41:24.58
Lord, I really need a job."
00:41:24.61\00:41:27.98
Third prayer, "Father in heaven,
00:41:28.02\00:41:29.35
tell me what I'm doing wrong
that I'm not getting this job."
00:41:29.38\00:41:32.62
Fourth prayer,
"Lord, is this the job
00:41:32.65\00:41:34.69
that I'm really
knocking against the wall
00:41:34.72\00:41:36.66
that You don't want me to have."
00:41:36.69\00:41:38.03
Fifth prayer, "Father,
lead me to some place else."
00:41:38.06\00:41:40.60
I mean, we're changing because
we are saying, "Lord, help me.
00:41:40.63\00:41:44.73
Speak to me."
00:41:44.77\00:41:46.10
And you don't have to
have a prayer warrior.
00:41:46.13\00:41:47.74
Do you have with you, honey?
00:41:47.77\00:41:49.10
Yeah, it says importunate means,
00:41:49.14\00:41:51.64
urgent or
persistent in solicitation,
00:41:51.67\00:41:56.11
sometimes annoyingly so.
00:41:56.14\00:41:58.68
Annoyingly. Wow!
00:41:58.71\00:42:00.05
So for those of you
may listen to this program
00:42:00.08\00:42:01.88
and watch the
program, somebody might say,
00:42:01.92\00:42:03.49
"Well, my prayer
hadn't been answered."
00:42:03.52\00:42:04.85
"When did you pray?"
"I prayed last week."
00:42:04.89\00:42:06.42
Yeah.
00:42:06.45\00:42:07.79
How many times did you pray?
00:42:07.82\00:42:09.36
Let's repeat together.
00:42:09.39\00:42:10.73
Ask and it shall be... Given.
00:42:10.76\00:42:12.29
Seek and you will... Find.
00:42:12.33\00:42:14.06
Knock and the
door will be... Opened.
00:42:14.10\00:42:15.93
That's importunate.
00:42:15.96\00:42:17.60
Don't just ask but seek in...
00:42:17.63\00:42:19.83
Don't let go of the arm of God.
00:42:19.87\00:42:21.57
Seek and you'll find.
00:42:21.60\00:42:22.97
But you can't let go
of the arm of God, right?
00:42:23.00\00:42:25.74
Too soon. Too soon.
00:42:25.77\00:42:27.54
You remember that devotion? Yes.
00:42:27.58\00:42:29.84
We had this
devotion that blew us away.
00:42:29.88\00:42:31.65
Yeah.
00:42:31.68\00:42:33.01
Which said, the reason
why God hadn't blessed them,
00:42:33.05\00:42:35.38
they let go of the
arm of the Lord too soon.
00:42:35.42\00:42:39.45
You know what, it reminds me
00:42:39.49\00:42:40.82
of the upper room
experience with the disciples,
00:42:40.86\00:42:42.99
how long were they're
there praying and praying
00:42:43.02\00:42:45.09
and they prayed
and they said, "Lord,"
00:42:45.13\00:42:47.30
and it wasn't until
they were in what, unison.
00:42:47.33\00:42:50.53
It wasn't until,
00:42:50.57\00:42:51.90
and sometimes that's
what happens in our lives.
00:42:51.93\00:42:55.60
We were so
accustomed to asking God
00:42:55.64\00:42:58.24
for things that we
constantly, that's all we do.
00:42:58.27\00:43:00.98
All day long, "God,
please. God, please."
00:43:01.01\00:43:03.14
But we truly do
not get to the point
00:43:03.18\00:43:06.51
in which we understand
what our prayer truly means.
00:43:06.55\00:43:10.89
And God has to
dig down to the point
00:43:10.92\00:43:14.09
where we truly
understand, "Okay, yes.
00:43:14.12\00:43:16.89
You have already prayed.
00:43:16.93\00:43:18.93
Yes, I understand
that... your need.
00:43:18.96\00:43:21.20
Yes, now I
understand there's desperation."
00:43:21.23\00:43:23.83
And then, "Yes, now I
know you surrendered yourself."
00:43:23.87\00:43:27.84
And it's not until you
fully surrender yourself
00:43:27.87\00:43:31.17
that God can answer the
prayer you're asking for.
00:43:31.21\00:43:32.87
There you go. Perfect.
00:43:32.91\00:43:34.48
You know, the Lord
just gave me an illustration
00:43:34.51\00:43:37.21
I've never used before,
so you know this is true.
00:43:37.25\00:43:40.32
Where do you find diamonds?
00:43:40.35\00:43:41.98
Are they on the surface? No.
00:43:42.02\00:43:43.35
Deep down.
00:43:43.39\00:43:44.72
Where do you find them?
00:43:44.75\00:43:46.09
Bottom, bottom of the ocean.
00:43:46.12\00:43:48.32
And where else?
Under the mountains.
00:43:48.36\00:43:50.46
Under the mountains.
00:43:50.49\00:43:52.63
You had do to
what? You got to dig.
00:43:52.66\00:43:54.03
You got to dig deep.
00:43:54.06\00:43:56.00
Sometimes, we might be saying,
00:43:56.03\00:43:57.43
"Lord, bring out
the beauty in my life."
00:43:57.47\00:44:00.14
And he say, "I am,
00:44:00.17\00:44:01.50
but there's so much coal
and rust I got to get through.
00:44:01.54\00:44:04.91
Give me sometime."
00:44:04.94\00:44:06.34
And there're some
of us in situations
00:44:06.37\00:44:07.88
where the Lord is breaking
off all the hard surface,
00:44:07.91\00:44:11.08
dig away the dirt,
breaking through the coal,
00:44:11.11\00:44:13.55
is this is it yet?
00:44:13.58\00:44:14.92
No, I'm not there yet.
00:44:14.95\00:44:16.28
And he's trying to
refine us so that one day,
00:44:16.32\00:44:17.82
our glory will be
seen for His glory.
00:44:17.85\00:44:20.19
Amen. Exactly.
00:44:20.22\00:44:21.56
And so, yes.
00:44:21.59\00:44:22.92
I feel that a lot of times,
00:44:22.96\00:44:24.86
we just concentrate
in one aspect of prayer.
00:44:24.89\00:44:28.56
Ask, ask, ask, ask.
00:44:28.60\00:44:30.83
But in the other side,
00:44:30.87\00:44:32.73
there has to be
somebody we're asking for.
00:44:32.77\00:44:35.44
So we don't always
have to be the one praying,
00:44:35.47\00:44:38.61
there could be other
people praying for us.
00:44:38.64\00:44:41.51
So there needs to be two sides
where we can always be asking,
00:44:41.54\00:44:45.41
"Pray for me, pray
for me, pray for me."
00:44:45.45\00:44:47.55
I also need to go
and pray for others,
00:44:47.58\00:44:50.59
and intercede for other.
00:44:50.62\00:44:52.55
So it goes both ways.
00:44:52.59\00:44:54.26
In order for my
spiritual life to grow.
00:44:54.29\00:44:58.06
Yes.
00:44:58.09\00:44:59.43
Wow.
00:44:59.46\00:45:00.93
Katrina, there's a Job 16:21.
00:45:00.96\00:45:03.30
It's on our
syllabus under number four,
00:45:03.33\00:45:05.47
you can go there or
you can turn to the text.
00:45:05.50\00:45:07.60
You let right into it,
00:45:07.64\00:45:08.97
that's why I jumped
over the next reference
00:45:09.00\00:45:10.34
because you led into it so
wonderful, Sister Xenia, there.
00:45:10.37\00:45:13.27
This is an amazing text.
00:45:13.31\00:45:14.88
Look at Job 16:21.
00:45:14.91\00:45:17.58
How the Lord brings that very
point out, what it means to.
00:45:17.61\00:45:21.15
Just stop praying for ourselves
but look at what it says.
00:45:21.18\00:45:23.42
It says, "Oh, that one
might plead for a man with God,
00:45:23.45\00:45:26.82
as a man pleads
for his neighbor!"
00:45:26.86\00:45:29.06
Wow!
00:45:29.09\00:45:30.69
So all that one might
plead for a man with God.
00:45:30.73\00:45:37.10
Have you ever
done that for somebody?
00:45:37.13\00:45:38.67
Yes.
00:45:38.70\00:45:40.04
We have been
praying that prayer,
00:45:40.07\00:45:43.61
it's give me souls or I die.
00:45:43.64\00:45:48.41
Wow.
00:45:48.44\00:45:49.78
It's a quote. That's right.
00:45:49.81\00:45:51.15
It is a quote, but
it's a heartfelt quote
00:45:51.18\00:45:53.82
that many
missionaries and many people
00:45:53.85\00:45:56.12
on the battlefield I pray for.
00:45:56.15\00:45:57.85
Some have even modified that,
00:45:57.89\00:45:59.35
"Lord, give me
this city or I die."
00:45:59.39\00:46:02.52
And...
00:46:02.56\00:46:03.89
Like you told the story, during
the week of prayer of the man,
00:46:03.93\00:46:06.96
somebody prayed for the
people in the phonebook.
00:46:07.00\00:46:09.80
Oh, what an illustration.
00:46:09.83\00:46:11.43
We heard that stories,
it's a powerful testimony.
00:46:11.47\00:46:12.80
Yes, this is true story.
00:46:12.83\00:46:14.17
Where one lady thought,
when they were talking about
00:46:14.20\00:46:16.87
all the gifts in
church, one lady said,
00:46:16.91\00:46:18.34
"Pastor, I
don't have any gifts."
00:46:18.37\00:46:20.61
He said, "Everyone has a gift."
00:46:20.64\00:46:22.68
He said, "Can you pray?"
00:46:22.71\00:46:24.61
"I can pray."
00:46:24.65\00:46:25.98
Lord challenged her
to open the phonebook
00:46:26.01\00:46:27.98
and she prayed for 100 people.
00:46:28.02\00:46:30.89
She kept praying
for them for years.
00:46:30.92\00:46:32.25
I think about three
or four years later,
00:46:32.29\00:46:34.39
there was a baptism, a
big evangelistic series held,
00:46:34.42\00:46:37.33
and 99...
00:46:37.36\00:46:38.69
She went to this here and she
heard these names and thought,
00:46:38.73\00:46:41.66
"Where have I heard
these names before?"
00:46:41.70\00:46:43.10
These are the people she
was praying for every day.
00:46:43.13\00:46:45.87
And when she found out 99 out
of 100 of them were baptized.
00:46:45.90\00:46:50.97
And all she did was
intercede for them everyday.
00:46:51.01\00:46:54.08
And this is not an illustration,
00:46:54.11\00:46:55.44
this is an actual event.
00:46:55.48\00:46:56.88
And so we have
instances like that
00:46:56.91\00:46:58.55
where people
would break through...
00:46:58.58\00:47:01.95
the song "Someone
is praying for you,"
00:47:01.98\00:47:04.49
written by Lanny Wolfe
has that very story behind it.
00:47:04.52\00:47:08.16
A lady who is in
the mission field,
00:47:08.19\00:47:09.52
who had been through
a tremendous tragedy,
00:47:09.56\00:47:11.23
couldn't pray for herself,
someone in the United States
00:47:11.26\00:47:13.86
in the upper northeast
was praying that same time,
00:47:13.90\00:47:16.26
that same day
when she couldn't pray.
00:47:16.30\00:47:18.60
And it was not until they met.
00:47:18.63\00:47:20.24
And she shared the story
at a big church that she said,
00:47:20.27\00:47:23.17
"What time of day was it?"
00:47:23.20\00:47:24.97
She said, "I woke up
at 2:30 in the morning
00:47:25.01\00:47:26.88
and pray for you."
00:47:26.91\00:47:28.31
And then he wrote the song,
"Someone is praying for you."
00:47:28.34\00:47:31.85
Another example I
want to bring out is...
00:47:31.88\00:47:34.95
Wow! Let's go to number six.
00:47:34.98\00:47:38.59
Let's go to number six.
00:47:38.62\00:47:40.56
This is a very interesting one.
00:47:40.59\00:47:42.59
And we're going to
look at Lamentations 2:19.
00:47:42.62\00:47:46.09
And, honey, would
you read that one for us?
00:47:46.13\00:47:47.83
Sure. Lamentations 2:19.
00:47:47.86\00:47:50.67
"Arise, cry out in the night..."
00:47:50.70\00:47:54.47
Wow.
00:47:54.50\00:47:55.84
"At the
beginning of the watches,
00:47:55.87\00:47:58.81
Pour out your heart like water
before the face of the Lord.
00:47:58.84\00:48:04.58
Lift your hands toward Him
00:48:04.61\00:48:08.05
for the life of
your young children,
00:48:08.08\00:48:11.25
who faint from hunger at
the head of every street."
00:48:11.29\00:48:16.79
What kind of prayer is this?
00:48:16.83\00:48:19.29
Isn't that a moving text? Yeah.
00:48:19.33\00:48:21.40
I must confess, I
have read the Bible,
00:48:21.43\00:48:24.27
I've never read that text.
00:48:24.30\00:48:26.33
It's when you begin to
research these texts out.
00:48:26.37\00:48:28.37
That's a powerful
prayer of a parent.
00:48:28.40\00:48:31.21
You know,
sometimes we think that
00:48:31.24\00:48:32.77
prayer need to be
this elaborate conversation
00:48:32.81\00:48:35.34
and I'm thinking
about Hacksaw Ridge
00:48:35.38\00:48:37.61
that one day that he
saved all those people.
00:48:37.65\00:48:40.28
His prayer was
simple, "Lord, one more.
00:48:40.32\00:48:42.38
Lord, one more."
00:48:42.42\00:48:43.75
That's all he would say.
00:48:43.79\00:48:45.12
He didn't say anything else
but, "Lord, give me one more."
00:48:45.15\00:48:48.69
Sometimes our prayers,
they don't need to be...
00:48:48.72\00:48:52.36
you don't need to
spend hours upon hours,
00:48:52.39\00:48:54.80
you can just say the simple
prayer of one word, "Help".
00:48:54.83\00:49:00.00
You know, and those are the part
00:49:00.04\00:49:01.87
that individuals
don't understand.
00:49:01.90\00:49:04.01
When you don't
know what to pray,
00:49:04.04\00:49:07.14
use the simplest prayer, "Help".
00:49:07.18\00:49:11.75
And that, those are, sometimes,
it's a most powerful word
00:49:11.78\00:49:15.18
that you can
come to the Lord with.
00:49:15.22\00:49:17.29
Lord, help us.
00:49:17.32\00:49:18.95
Help me. Lord, help me.
00:49:18.99\00:49:20.79
What did Peter prayed?
00:49:20.82\00:49:22.16
Lord, save me. Lord, save me.
00:49:22.19\00:49:23.53
Save me. Wow, wow!
00:49:23.56\00:49:24.89
I also like the fact that...
00:49:24.93\00:49:26.26
I think Ellen White
wrote, she said that,
00:49:26.29\00:49:27.63
"prayer is not us
bringing God down to us,
00:49:27.66\00:49:30.70
but us being lifted up.
00:49:30.73\00:49:32.07
Amen.
00:49:32.10\00:49:33.44
But I don't want to
get past this scripture
00:49:33.47\00:49:34.80
because it
specifically mentioned,
00:49:34.84\00:49:36.60
there are those of you
praying for your children.
00:49:36.64\00:49:38.44
Yes.
00:49:38.47\00:49:39.81
Your children, how many
parents or family members
00:49:39.84\00:49:42.18
watching this
program are saying...
00:49:42.21\00:49:43.98
And notice how
this text is so...
00:49:44.01\00:49:48.52
this text illustrates a
person who is in there with God.
00:49:48.55\00:49:53.05
Arise, cry out in the night,
00:49:53.09\00:49:56.73
at the beginning of the watches.
00:49:56.76\00:49:58.33
You know, in the Hebrew time,
00:49:58.36\00:50:00.06
they were eight
watches to the day.
00:50:00.10\00:50:01.93
Each watch was three hours long.
00:50:01.96\00:50:04.33
In the New Testament
there were four watches.
00:50:04.37\00:50:07.44
Each one was six hours
long. Six fours are twenty four.
00:50:07.47\00:50:10.24
And so when Jesus is crucified,
he was at the second watch.
00:50:10.27\00:50:13.94
The first watch of
the day was 6:00 am.
00:50:13.98\00:50:16.34
Second watch was at noon.
Third watch was at 6:00 pm.
00:50:16.38\00:50:19.08
Fourth watch was at midnight.
00:50:19.11\00:50:20.72
And so here in
the Old Testament,
00:50:20.75\00:50:22.92
at the beginning of the watches,
00:50:22.95\00:50:24.62
so when it was
beginning, become dark at night.
00:50:24.65\00:50:27.36
It says, "Arise, pour
your heart out like water
00:50:27.39\00:50:30.26
before the face of the God.
00:50:30.29\00:50:31.63
Lift up your hands toward Him
for the life of your children,
00:50:31.66\00:50:33.93
Lord, please save my children
00:50:33.96\00:50:36.30
who faint from hunger at
the head of every street."
00:50:36.33\00:50:38.33
There's a song that you
sing about that, it's called,
00:50:38.37\00:50:41.04
"Just be there.
00:50:41.07\00:50:42.50
Cradle in my arms, I held you,"
in so many funerals, parents...
00:50:42.54\00:50:48.01
Well, many parents say
they want that song sung
00:50:48.04\00:50:51.68
at their
funeral, because they know
00:50:51.71\00:50:53.62
that their children
will be at their funeral.
00:50:53.65\00:50:57.12
Talking about how a
parent raise that child,
00:50:57.15\00:51:00.66
cradle in my arms, I held you,
00:51:00.69\00:51:02.29
I loved you with
each moment passing by,
00:51:02.32\00:51:04.36
sharing joy, pain.
00:51:04.39\00:51:06.19
I can't believe it's
time to say good bye.
00:51:06.23\00:51:09.66
I'm not a parent, but I
have friends who are parents
00:51:09.70\00:51:12.23
and I know that, you know,
00:51:12.27\00:51:15.64
sometimes they may get
discouraged in their duties,
00:51:15.67\00:51:20.81
but their job,
the job of a parent,
00:51:20.84\00:51:23.38
the job of a mother is
more important than evangelist,
00:51:23.41\00:51:30.09
public evangelist.
00:51:30.12\00:51:31.45
Yes.
00:51:31.49\00:51:33.92
Pastor. A preacher, pastor, yes.
00:51:33.96\00:51:35.69
Ellen White said that.
00:51:35.72\00:51:37.06
You know, on Fridays,
Donald and his family,
00:51:37.09\00:51:42.66
we get together and we're
studying the Great Controversy.
00:51:42.70\00:51:45.60
And this past Friday,
Donald was talking to us
00:51:45.63\00:51:48.44
about God waking him up at
00:51:48.47\00:51:49.90
around 3 o'clock in the morning.
00:51:49.94\00:51:51.71
Donald, can you share with
us, what you shared with us?
00:51:51.74\00:51:53.84
You like me to, okay.
00:51:53.88\00:51:55.94
Yeah, 3 o'clock, he
seems to do that sometimes.
00:51:55.98\00:51:57.51
3 o'clock in the morning,
00:51:57.55\00:51:58.88
he showed me a
vision of Martin Luther
00:51:58.91\00:52:01.48
which is a 500 year of
the Reformation this year.
00:52:01.52\00:52:04.32
But he shared
with me, Martin Luther
00:52:04.35\00:52:05.69
tacking the 95 theses
on the door in Wittenburg.
00:52:05.72\00:52:09.19
He said, "Now I tack
something far greater on a tree.
00:52:09.22\00:52:12.43
And it was my son." Wow.
00:52:12.46\00:52:14.20
It was the declaration
of My love to the world.
00:52:14.23\00:52:17.17
It's a declaration as, you know,
00:52:17.20\00:52:18.87
the declaration of what
Martin Luther did on the door.
00:52:18.90\00:52:21.54
But something far
greater was tacked to tree
00:52:21.57\00:52:23.64
and that was Jesus Christ
and that's we can pray too.
00:52:23.67\00:52:26.61
You know, it's
obviously, 1 John 2:1, says
00:52:26.64\00:52:29.11
we have Jesus who
is the advocate so,
00:52:29.14\00:52:31.11
and the Lord just gave it
to me at three in the morning.
00:52:31.15\00:52:32.98
Wow. What a
wonderful illustration.
00:52:33.01\00:52:34.68
Wakes me up that time...
00:52:34.72\00:52:36.05
So really you look at
this verse, and it says,
00:52:36.08\00:52:37.75
"Arise, cry out in the night."
00:52:37.79\00:52:40.26
And a lot of times
that's when God wakes us up
00:52:40.29\00:52:42.72
to be able to let us
know sudden, you know,
00:52:42.76\00:52:45.26
those are the
moments when it's so quiet.
00:52:45.29\00:52:47.50
There's such a solitude
and that's the part of time
00:52:47.53\00:52:50.40
when God can really get
to the bottom of our heart
00:52:50.43\00:52:53.57
and change us.
00:52:53.60\00:52:55.00
Speak, Xenia.
00:52:55.04\00:52:56.37
Yeah, in the book of
Child Guidance, it says,
00:52:56.40\00:53:00.48
"There is great
strength and blessing
00:53:00.51\00:53:03.58
in praying
together in our families
00:53:03.61\00:53:06.38
with and for our children."
00:53:06.41\00:53:08.85
With and for our children.
00:53:08.88\00:53:10.35
So that is one of our
duties to pray for our children,
00:53:10.39\00:53:15.22
and I remember that
when my child was young,
00:53:15.26\00:53:19.73
one of the mothers of the church
00:53:19.76\00:53:22.50
came to me and said to me,
00:53:22.53\00:53:25.33
"Your ministry right now
as a mother is your child.
00:53:25.37\00:53:31.94
It's your duty to pray for her.
00:53:31.97\00:53:35.64
And, you know, it's not to
be out there with everyone else
00:53:35.68\00:53:39.81
but to be at the
home with the kids.
00:53:39.85\00:53:41.42
"Train up the child in
the way they should go."
00:53:41.45\00:53:44.09
Boy, you know, I'm just...
00:53:44.12\00:53:45.65
this isn't double program
00:53:45.69\00:53:47.02
but I want to go to
point number five on here
00:53:47.06\00:53:48.56
because this is
very important one.
00:53:48.59\00:53:50.29
Isaiah 59:1 and Isaiah 59:16.
00:53:50.33\00:53:54.60
The reason why this is
really important is because
00:53:54.63\00:53:57.40
sometimes we want
the Lord to do something,
00:53:57.43\00:53:59.87
but he says, "But I
want you to do something."
00:53:59.90\00:54:02.27
Now I haven't hear you
read one in a little while.
00:54:02.30\00:54:04.07
So read this for us,
Luis, verse 1 and then verse 16.
00:54:04.11\00:54:08.48
Okay, so Isaiah 59:1.
00:54:08.51\00:54:10.51
It says, "Behold, the
Lord's hand is not shortened,
00:54:10.55\00:54:14.32
that it cannot
save, nor His ear heavy,
00:54:14.35\00:54:17.79
that it cannot hear."
00:54:17.82\00:54:19.15
Okay, so he said, "Is
there anything He can't do?
00:54:19.19\00:54:21.59
Is His arms too short?
00:54:21.62\00:54:22.99
Is His ears heavy?"
00:54:23.02\00:54:24.36
No, there's no problem with Him.
00:54:24.39\00:54:25.73
But what is the
issue, look at verse 16.
00:54:25.76\00:54:27.53
Verse 16, "He saw
that there was no man,
00:54:27.56\00:54:32.10
and wondered that
there was no intercessor.
00:54:32.13\00:54:36.57
Therefore His own arm
brought salvation for Him,
00:54:36.60\00:54:41.34
and His own righteousness,
it sustained Him."
00:54:41.38\00:54:45.21
Now this is a powerful prophecy.
00:54:45.25\00:54:47.45
At the most trying
time of the life of Christ,
00:54:47.48\00:54:51.05
no one was interceding for Him.
00:54:51.09\00:54:54.16
And He says,
"There's no intercessor."
00:54:54.19\00:54:58.06
Now we know in the
story, His father was there
00:54:58.09\00:55:00.73
enshrouded in the darkness
of that day of crucifixion.
00:55:00.76\00:55:03.87
But the thing that
startled me was in all of it,
00:55:03.90\00:55:06.94
we have just a few
minutes here to talk about this
00:55:06.97\00:55:08.57
but what's the greatest thing
that God has calling us to do
00:55:08.60\00:55:11.34
is intercede Him
behalf of our family.
00:55:11.37\00:55:13.27
Oh, you have a big family.
00:55:13.31\00:55:15.58
And I do intercede.
00:55:15.61\00:55:17.28
We pray, we pray.
00:55:17.31\00:55:19.61
By name. You have a big family.
00:55:19.65\00:55:21.82
Pray for them, how? By name.
00:55:21.85\00:55:23.49
You have a family.
00:55:23.52\00:55:25.39
Pray for them by name. By name.
00:55:25.42\00:55:27.32
But here it is.
00:55:27.36\00:55:28.69
God wondered that
there was no intercessors,
00:55:28.72\00:55:30.43
so instead of just saying,
"Pray today," in our program,
00:55:30.46\00:55:33.33
we're saying,
"Become an intercessor."
00:55:33.36\00:55:36.10
Intercessory prayer
at a time when the world,
00:55:36.13\00:55:40.14
and the church, and the pastors,
00:55:40.17\00:55:42.27
and the leaders,
and our community,
00:55:42.30\00:55:44.24
and our new administration
in the White House,
00:55:44.27\00:55:47.18
we all need to
be people that are
00:55:47.21\00:55:50.95
between the person in this
gap and the person in that gap.
00:55:50.98\00:55:54.52
Stand in the middle.
00:55:54.55\00:55:56.55
You know, pastor when
Jesus needed His friends most,
00:55:56.58\00:56:00.79
His disciples were scattered,
you know, and we are saying,
00:56:00.82\00:56:05.09
"God is asking us,
'You need to pray,"'
00:56:05.13\00:56:07.46
but when Jesus
needed it the most,
00:56:07.50\00:56:11.00
all of the individuals in Him,
He had bestowed so much love
00:56:11.03\00:56:16.81
were all looking backwards,
00:56:16.84\00:56:18.17
were all looking
away from Christ.
00:56:18.21\00:56:19.77
Yes.
00:56:19.81\00:56:21.14
And this is what so beautiful
about this type of prayer that
00:56:21.18\00:56:23.45
when we're
praying for someone else,
00:56:23.48\00:56:25.48
we're no longer
focusing on our selves,
00:56:25.51\00:56:27.98
we're focusing on
God and His mighty power.
00:56:28.02\00:56:31.85
Yes. Wow.
00:56:31.89\00:56:33.22
And I want to hit this one real
quickly before we all are done,
00:56:33.25\00:56:35.82
because we didn't mention
Jesus as an intercessor yet.
00:56:35.86\00:56:39.39
I left it for the
end of the program.
00:56:39.43\00:56:42.40
It's not on the syllabus,
00:56:42.43\00:56:43.77
so if you turn
very quickly to Luke 22,
00:56:43.80\00:56:46.53
and Jesus is speaking on
our behalf and listen to this.
00:56:46.57\00:56:50.04
He said to Peter, Luke 22:31,
00:56:50.07\00:56:53.07
"And the Lord
said, "Simon, Simon!
00:56:53.11\00:56:54.61
Indeed, Satan has asked for you,
00:56:54.64\00:56:57.15
that he may sift you as wheat.
00:56:57.18\00:56:59.08
But I have prayed for you,
00:56:59.11\00:57:00.45
that your faith should not fail,
00:57:00.48\00:57:01.82
and when you have returned,"
or when you have converted,
00:57:01.85\00:57:04.39
"Strengthen the brethren."
00:57:04.42\00:57:06.59
You know, today, if can
leave a message with you,
00:57:06.62\00:57:08.16
there are many
people that need Jesus
00:57:08.19\00:57:09.69
that are not yet converted.
00:57:09.72\00:57:11.83
And you must know that Christ
is praying in your behalf.
00:57:11.86\00:57:15.50
Amen. Amen.
00:57:15.53\00:57:16.87
And He's calling us to
pray on somebody else's behalf.
00:57:16.90\00:57:20.24
Xenia, Luis,
Donald, Katrina, Angie,
00:57:20.27\00:57:24.37
we are all committing
ourselves to praying for someone
00:57:24.41\00:57:27.91
and we are praying for you.
00:57:27.94\00:57:29.51
Pray for us
until we see you again.
00:57:29.54\00:57:32.65
Amen.
00:57:32.68\00:57:34.02